Tournament of Kings
by Snodin
Summary: Chapter 13: My official finale of Season 03 includes a two-on-five duel, a shady excavation, and an announcement that will rock the world. (Retelling of GX, from mid-season 3 onward. Featuring YGO characters.)
1. Impending Doom

"**Yu****-****Gi****-****Oh****/ ****Yu****-****Gi****-****Oh****: ****GX****"**

**Present:**

"**Tournament ****of ****Kings****"**

**by Snodin**

**.**

**One****: "****Impending ****Doom****"**

PROLOGUE

Nobody expected Yuki Judai to make it into Duel Academy, but that's exactly where he was headed one warm day in September. More accurately, he was going to a convention center in downtown Tokyo where trials were being held for students that wanted to enroll into the one high school in the world that promoted professional "Duel Monsters" players.

A no-name from just outside Domino City, the rusty brown-haired Judai was just like every other teenager who only played the Duel Monsters trading card game for fun. But unlike most teen boys, he had a dream of becoming a pro duelist who may one day go toe to toe with the greatest duelist alive, possibly the greatest of all time: Moto Yugi.

He was already running late and tore down the street like a bat out of hell toward the convention center, when he bumped into somebody on the way: a taller man in his early twenties, with a striking spiked hairstyle colored black, yellow and hot pink.

"Whoops!" exclaimed the rushed teen. "Excuse me sir," he bowed respectfully.

The slightly older man just smiled. "You're a duelist, aren't you?"

"Heck yeah, I am!" replied the teen with a wide smile. "Well, maybe not a full-time duelist, but I plan to be, someday."

Then the twenty year old pulled out a deck of cards- Duel Monster cards. "I've got a feeling you'll need this," said he, as he drew from the top of his deck one single card, and handed it over to Judai.

Judai looked at it curiously. "…Winged Kuriboh?" he read the card's top text in disbelief.

"Take care of that card for me," said the adult as he started to walk away. "It should come in handy one day."

"I sure will! Thanks, Mister!" promised the excited teen; never before had he been given such a modest yet rare gift. He was just about to resume his rush toward the proving grounds, when something had just registered in his head: he recognized that man's face before! "Hey," he muttered as he turned around; "aren't you…?" But he was already gone.

Judai's sight wasn't playing any tricks on him; that man was who he thought he was. That was Moto Yugi- the "King of Games." By now his tales of dueling were legendary; some told of how he saved the world many times by playing the card game against forces of evil. Tall tales, perhaps, but young Judai had heard them all. But he never once dreamed that a man of such prestige would even think to give him one of his own cards, but that's just what happened. It had to be fate, or an omen...

Of course, these were all just hopes in Judai's heart, and they would have to wait. Right now, he was a young man on a mission: someday soon, he too would make history and become a Duel Monsters legend. But first, he had to enroll into Duel Academy.

While holding onto the card of Hane (or Winged) Kuriboh in a tight grip on his resumed race to the convention center, the boy thought he heard the faint sound of high-pitched giggling coming from the angelic furry creature within the card...

.

**THREE YEARS LATER**

In the Southern Pacific ocean, just south of Japan, there sat a small tropical island which possessed its own active volcano. This was Duel Academy Island, home to the most famous of all academies which trained teenagers between the ages of 15 and 18 years into becoming professional Duel Monsters players.

This Duel Academy had four dorms- one belong strictly to its female inhabitants, but the others housed boys whose social status depended upon their experience levels. The lowest ranked belonged to Osiris Red; the middle-ranked students were of Ra Yellow; and the highest-ranked of all was Obelisk Blue. These dorms were named after the legendary "God Cards" of the Duel Monsters game- cards thought to be so powerful, they could destroy the earth.

For nearly fifteen years, this small island had become a home away from home for these young adults, as well as the adults who taught and cared for them. And even though the students would only live here for three years of their lives, it would be a most unforgettable experience, playing virtual games and making their marks while often losing themselves in the beauty of this tropical paradise.

...But even Paradise can be short-lived.

.

**10:56****am**

There had been small quakes disrupting the island for some time now, which disturbed both the owner of the island- Kaiba Seto- and its inhabitants. And although the volcano had been active for centuries, there hadn't been any signs of it threatening the life on the island, until now.

That morning, a team of twelve seismologists were flown to the island via helicopter, to observe the volcano and detect any signs of disturbance in the earth. Sure enough, their equipment picked up on unnatural vibrations deep within the earth. And those who were observing the volcano's base would pick up on something stranger.

Two scientists were reading the script of vibrations of their seismometer, when… **WHOOSH****!**In an instant, something very big and shadowed darted through the air, just over the site.

"Did you see that?" gasped the female.

"See what?" asked the man; his head was down the whole time.

The lady kept her eyes on the sky. "I dunno… It looked like… a monster."

Indeed, it was. It was a Duel monster.

_Meanwhile__…_

(A/N: This scene would be set to the Avenged Sevenfold song, "Blinded in Chains")

The jungle region was off limits, but that didn't stop Judai and two of his friends from having a fun race that fateful afternoon. However, it was no ordinary race; two of the racers had with them activated duel disks, which projected holographic images of their chosen duel monsters.

At first glance, all there was to show for was a small red jeep followed by a dark motorcycle. But soon, the vehicles were followed by two strange creatures flying through the air.

The jeep was driven by one of Judai's friends from Ra Yellow; his name was Kenzan Tyranno, and as his name and dinosaur-shaped headband would suggest, he had a certain affection for dinosaurs. While he put the pedal to the metal on unpaved ground, Judai sat in the backseat to guide his monster: a hybrid mutant by the name of Flame Wingman.

It, the very Duel Monster spotted by one of the seismologists, was a mostly green humanoid creature with a red dragon head for a right arm, followed by a matching red dragon tail. And although it only had one true wing, colored white, it soared in the air like an eagle.

Judai's opponent was the one flying solo on motorcycle- his name was Manjyome Jun, and while he too was a member of Osiris Red, he dared to break the color code by going all black. Following him at top speed was a small dragon with an orange belly and grey, spiky armor. It was called, respectively, Armed Dragon Level 3, and while its wings were puny, it could catch up with the much larger Flame Wingman.

They had been going at this free-roaming cat and mouse game for a while, and were neck and neck for the most part, even after hurdling uneasy terrain such as steep slopes and tree roots.

Finally, after twenty minutes of free roaming, Judai decided to break the tension. "Come on, Manjyome-kun! This is supposed to be a challenge, not a drag race!"

Manjyome's wild black hair danced in the wind, for he dared not to wear a helmet, but only blue visors. "You want a challenge? Try giving me something I can't beat first!"

"If you insist," smirked Judai. Then he raised the duel disk attached to his left arm in the air and commanded, "Flame Wingman, attack Armed Dragon Level 3!"

On command, the mutant sprayed a surprising fireball from its dragon head-shaped hand, hitting the baby dragon's right side. The little dragon tumbled in the air, but wasn't out for the count yet.

"This means war!" growled a vengeful Manjyome.

As his left arm balanced its handlebar, Manjyome quickly pulled the first card from atop the deck that he had placed in his duel disk. As he inserted it into the disk, he commanded, "I play Level Up! Now Armed Dragon, rise to Level 5!"

While the baby dragon seemed to be far off at this point, it seemed to take his command. First it dove into a shroud of trees, then suddenly those trees appeared to be dug up, as if a giant mole was tearing through the earth below them. But it wasn't a mole; it was the baby dragon, now a full grown adult with talon-like spikes all over its body. When it was finally launched out into the open, it took to a swift gallop, until it was back to where it originally was, right next to Flame Wingman.

And then, very unsportsmanlike, it leapt into the air, pile-driving itself into its opponent. The two holographic monsters went tumbling off into unknown territory, hidden by a slew of trees.

Judai gulped, "Aw nuts!" He knew that without his guidance, Flame Wingman would be at the Armed Dragon's mercy. "Kenzan!" he exclaimed; "We gotta catch up to 'em!"

"No prob, boss," smiled the jeep's driver. "I know a shortcut!" Then he surprised Judai with a whip-lashing turn to the right.

Manjyome watched as the jeep split from his sight and stood his course; he knew where he was going as if he knew the jungle like the back of his hand.

Meanwhile, the jeep plowed itself through tall grass and tree uproots until it came face to face with a cliff. Before he knew it, Judai was screaming, "This is a shortcut-u-u-U-U-U-UT!?" as the jeep vigorously sledded down the sloping cliff.

They hit the dirt hard, but they were now at a smoother level of the field, on which the holographic monsters could be more easily found.

Manjyome, meanwhile, whipped his motorcycle around just to reach a much safer standpoint. Once he got there, at the very edge of the high ground, he skid his motorbike to a halt. Then, he removed his visors to get a better view of the playing field.

Sure enough, Flame Wingman and Armed Dragon 5 were spotted in an open area, tossing dirt left and right (or so it seemed, given they were just holograms) as they tussled violently.

Manjyome grinned as he soon realized that his dragon had the upper hand; it had its opponent in a chokehold. "That's it, Armed Dragon," cheered its master, "keep him grounded!"

Flame Wingman did its best to push back the dragon, but it was twice as big and packed with forbidding nails from head to tail. A whack from its club-like tail was sure to knock Flame Wingman on the ground for good.

But just as Manjyome was about to gloat, he heard the sound of an engine roar; he glanced to the left, and sure enough Kenzan's red jeep was screeching through the thick brush, out onto the open field where the duel monsters stood.

Manjyome watched helplessly, as his opponents started to circle the dirt-covered playing field. They dodged one stomping foot after another, as well as tail lashes from the Armed Dragon. But once Judai was in range, he encouraged his monster to counter-attack with a swift right hook. It did, and while Flame Wingman was usually weaker than Armed Dragon 5, the dragon took the full force of the punch.

Before Armed Dragon could retaliate, Flame Wingman boosted its foot onto the dragon's nose, and took off like a rocket into the air. Armed Dragon tried to shoot it down with fireballs, but its opponent was zooming too fast.

"Finish him now, Flame Wingman!" commanded Judai from where he sat in the jeep.

Flame Wingman then turned its direction from straight up to straight downward; it fell so quickly that it caught flames, making it look like a meteorite. It collided directly with Armed Dragon, blasting both holograms to bits.

The force of the final blow was enough to send the jeep flying.

(Song fades out)

Even from his safe spot on the cliff, Manjyome felt a part of the force that made him duck for cover. When he opened his eyes, he realized that the battle was over, and that his company could have been seriously hurt. He quickly looked back to see where the jeep had landed, but all he could see at first was a cloud of dust.

In moments, the dust cloud cleared, revealing that the jeep had crashed just several feet from where it originally was. In fact, its front was almost completely buried in dirt; the back wheels were still spinning for a little while longer.

Kenzan seemed to be alright, but he was confused as to why his airbag didn't work. When he tested it at last by tapping his wheel, Poof! Out came the airbag, nearly knocking him unconscious.

As for Judai, he had been completely thrown from the jeep and was now lying face down in the dirt. But it didn't take him long to recover himself, coughing in a fit of dust.

Manjyome smiled; he wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was grateful that his company was okay.

"WAH-HOO!" howled an exuberant Kenzan as he somehow crawled out of his totaled jeep and walked toward a still dizzy Judai. With his muscle-ripped arms, he lifted his "big brother" up with one quick yank as he cheered. "That was the best race ever! We have GOT to do that again, Aniki!"

Said his so-called brother with a smile, "Yeah, it was great Kenzan… but I don't think we can race again today." As he said this, he looked toward the remains of the red jeep, almost regretfully.

Their laughs were then interrupted by the purring sound of Manjyome's motorcycle approaching them. They watched as he came to a peaceful stop by their side and smirked, "Had to go for the dramatics, didn't you?"

Said Judai in retort, "Well you had to go and make it an all-out battle."

"You started it," replied the one in black with half a smile.

They probably could have verbally lashed at each other for hours to come, but just when they had begun to recover from their race, something most unusual happened. The earth started to tremble.

The ground beneath their feet vibrated softly, but it was enough to stir fear in the teens almost instantly. In fact, the rumbling went on for a few seconds, to the point where Manjyome nearly lost his balance on the motorcycle. But then, just as quickly as it came, the rumbling stopped.

"…what… was that?" muttered a shaken Kenzan.

With his eyes glued to the earth, Judai's mouth gaped. "I... don't know."

Manjyome was just as curious as they were, but his eyes soon turned to the sky and not the ground. He was captivated by a new sound- the sound of a helicopter.

Soon enough, all three teens looked to the sky, and witnessed a black helicopter hovering just above them, and then mysteriously vanished in a frantic hurry.

Judai pointed upward. "Was that… a Kaiba Corp chopper?"

"Yeah," said Manjyome solemnly. "And you know what that means… We're busted."

..

**12:23****pm**

"Disgraceful, irresponsible, and illegal! Is it not!?"

The rage of Sensei Chronos could be heard halfway down the hallway of the Chancellor's office, in which he had already begun to scold the three young joy-riders just minutes after their return from the jungle. They- Manjyome, a mud-covered Judai and Kenzan in that order from left to right- all stood before the Victorian-dressed Italian in shame.

Formerly the headmaster of the elite Obelisk Blue, Chronos de Medici now stood in as vice principal of the school. And yet, he seemed to have a nasty habit of sitting in place of the real principal, as he was even at this moment.

His rant went on; "The jungles are off limits, are they not? Taking your vehicles for some play ride in the wilderness- absurd! And on a school day, is it not?"

"It's not," muttered Judai.

"Quiet!" snapped Chronos. "Whose idea was this?" narrowed the headmaster's eyes.

Manjyome and Judai stood silent, but Kenzan was quick to nudge his head in Judai's direction. As loyal as he was to his friends, Kenzan was more loyal to getting out of trouble.

Chronos huffed, "Hmph! Yuki Judai, I would expect something this outrageous to come from you, yes."

"Why thank you Sensei," grinned Judai foolishly. The wild-haired boy at his right rolled his eyes.

"But _you_, Manjyome Jun!?"

Manjyome looked on with a surprised gasp.

"You," lectured Chronos, "come from a good family, no? A proud family! Letting these hooligans talk you into breaking school rules, you ought to be ashamed of yourself, yes?"

Manjyome hung his head in shame.

Judai then stepped forward. "Aw come on, Sensei; we can't be punished for this. The whole jungle rule's just a safety precaution."

"Silence!" snapped the would-be principal. "You're all going to be expelled as soon as I report this to the Chancellor, no?"

"No!" they all replied fearfully.

Chronos then stood tall and waved a finger at them. "Perhaps next time you three will be wise not to disrespect the rules, no?"

"No… I mean yes! …No, wait." Judai scratched his head, confused.

"What's this I hear about expulsion?" came a voice from someone walking through the front door. It was a tall man dressed in a red coat with hair not on his brow but on his chin. He also wore a smile that could warm up a room. This was Principal Sameshima, the true head of the academy.

"Chronos," he raised an eyebrow. "You're at my desk again."

"Eep!" gulped the royal blue-dressed Vice Chancellor. Humbly, he scurried away from the desk. "Sorry, Sameshima-san! I was keeping your seat warm, no?"

"Hmm," hummed the jolly-natured man in red as he walked past the three guilty teens. He then turned to them in a most gentle demeanor. "You boys do know that what you did was against school rules-"

"Exactly what I said, was it not?" snapped Chronos nearby.

"However," Sameshima went on to say, "I understand that the jungle prohibition is just a safety precaution. So, I'm just going to give you three demerits and hope you won't do it again. Is that alright?"

"Yes-sir," they all bowed their heads.

Judai quickly gave Chronos a smirk and a wink while his torso was bent down; Chronos saw it and growled.

"Very good," said the true principal. "Dismissed!"

The three teens left Chronos' headquarters, one more sourly than the others.

Meanwhile, Sameshima turned to the head of Obelisk Blue and began to say, "I've just received some disturbing news about our volcano." The rest of their conversation would proceed, but as the door shut itself, it would go on unheard by spies.

_.._

As the trio of troublemakers walked down the hallway of the main building, Kenzan gleefully patted Judai on the back. "That was great fun; we _must_do it again sometime! See ya 'round, Aniki!" he waved to Judai as he switched direction to head for his own dorm.

"Bye Kenzan," Judai waved back as his friend from Ra Yellow parted ways. "See you at the duel later!"

Then he turned back to Manjyome, who started tapping his foot impatiently as he leaned against the wall.

"I really should have known better than to follow your lead."

"Huh?" peeped a confused Judai.

The teen in black then mock-imitated his red-clad rival: "'Come on, Manjyome-kun, it'll be fun! One last drive around the woods before summer break! No one will ever know.'" He then switched to his normal voice: "It's 'San-da,' first of all; and second of all, you were proven wrong weren't you?"

"Well," argued Judai with a smile, "we did just get done our Mid-terms. I figured a fun race-duel would calm our nerves."

Manjyome gave a small nod, but his frown was still present. "I appreciate the sentiment, but that really is the last time I let myself get in trouble thanks to you."

"For what it's worth, the look on Chronos-san's face was priceless."

"Yeah, yeah, murgh..." grumbled Manjyome's sour voice as he departed the building. He didn't want to admit it out loud, but he did feel seeing his old dorm leader getting his panties in a bind was worth the trouble.

Judai started down the other side of the hallway, feeling much less uptight as his would-be friend. He would not be feeling so happy-go-lucky, had he caught the rest of the conversation going on behind the principal's doors: "An eruption!? Come again!?" bellowed Chronos' shocked voice from behind the doorway.

..

"I'm afraid it's true," replied Sameshima solemnly, with his head bowed. "The team we've sent to the volcano picked up the activity just under the hour."

Chronos' blue lips drooped as far as they could; "Impossible, is it not? This volcano hasn't erupted in over fifty years, has it not? It shouldn't be able to blow its top so soon!"

Again, Sameshima frowned. "I really can't believe it either, Chronos. We have approximately one week to evacuate the entire island. The announcement must be made immediately, although we should do our best not to panic the students."

"The students…" mourned Chronos. "Si. How do we explain it to them, eh?"

Said the principal, "However we deal with it will be decided by the staff, but the sooner we do it the better. I hate to admit it, Chronos… but our days here at Duel Academy are numbered."

.

II

Duel Academy's days numbered? It just couldn't be! Not with so many hopeful students with such promising futures…

Like Misawa Daichi, the top Ra Yellow student of the senior class. His passions were science, mathematics _and_ dueling, and found ways of putting them together in special decks of cards. His more popular ones involved the H20 themed deck that created the Water Dragon, and the earthy Machines with a "positive" and "negative" theme. When he wasn't dueling, he was filling his dorm walls with difficult theorems.

Like Tenjoin Asuka, the top female of the senior class. Asuka had been popular from day one, mostly because of her attractive looks. But she always tried to avoid being a playgirl and not let her fandom get to her head, by hanging out with the less-popular Osiris Red students. Her two main deck types have been Fusion-summoned "cyber athletes," and Ritual-summoned "cyber angels."

Or like Marufuji Sho, who was due in the main dueling arena that afternoon for a chance to move up in the ranks. Speaking of which...

**3:45****pm**

"Hurry up, we're gonna be late!"

Within the next hour, Judai and Kenzan darted down the hallway like two bats out of hell, as they raced for the doorways that would take them into the main dueling arena in the building.

When they finally made it through the sliding doors, they could see that the gym was almost completely packed. Hundreds of students, dressed in red, yellow or blue mixed with white, filled the seats surrounding the circular, coliseum-like gym. As Judai and Kenzan paused to breathe, they heard this special announcement on a loud speaker:

"_Ladies __and __gentlemen__, __in __mere __moments __we __will __commence __today__'__s __main __event__! __First__, __let __us __meet __the __contestants__. __On __Side __A__, __our __challenger__: __third__-__year __student __from __the __Ra __Yellow __dorm__, __Marufuji __Sho__!"_

All eyes fell on Sho, the duelist in the yellow blazer that represented his dorm. Sho was petite for his age; he looked thirteen when really he was seventeen. His hair was a soft sky blue and parted very much like Albert Einstein's, and over his matching sky blue eyes were glasses that seemed too small for those eyes.

"_And __on __Side __B__: __in __his __second __year __in __school __and __already __an __elitist __in __Obelisk __Blue__, __the __remarkable __Gokaido __Houzan__!"_

Gokaido stood not much taller than Sho; he seemed younger than his true age. His hair was light brown, and spiky as most male students', but other than that he lacked in outlandish physical features. To really stand out, he would have to have a formidable deck of cards.

"_This __will __be __considered __a __promotional __duel__; __if __Marufuji __Sho __can __beat __Gokaido__, __he __will __be __instated __into __our __highest __ranking __dorm __of __all__: __the __elite __Obelisk __Blue__!"_

_._

As many of the students cheered for the favored Obelisk, Sho's friends were shuffling downward toward the first row, where they could see their friend more closely. Along the way, they spotted two friendly faces.

"Hey, Judai! Over here!" waved the hand of a young lady's, with long hazel hair and matching hazel eyes. This was Judai's one and only female friend, Tenjoin Asuka. As all the females did in the academy, she wore the same uniform colors as Obelisk Blues.

Standing by her side was third-year Ra Yellow student Misawa Daichi. He had a broad chin and slick-back grey hair, plus white streaks of it on the sides, and matching dark eyes.

"Asuka! Misawa!" Judai waved back at the girl who was standing in the fifth row above the arena floor. Quickly he and Kenzan rushed to join their friends. Soon, two became four in Row Five.

"Fashionably late, I see," smiled the ever so patient Misawa.

Judai then took a breath as he observed the dueling arena; "Hey, I think I know that guy in Blue… He's not really that remarkable, is he?"

Misawa replied, "He has the top-ranked Warrior deck in his dorm; these duel officials don't play around when they pick their opponents for these promotional duels."

"They must really want him back in Osiris Red!"

Judai's ears perked up at the voice they heard, and he let loose a sly grin. "I know that snobby, arrogant, sourly bitter voice anywhere!" Then he finally caught sight of the voice's owner down at the very first row on his left side. "Hi, Manjyome-kun!" he waved loudly.

"San-da!" barked the black-clad Osiris, giving Judai a death glare. Then he crossed his arms and looked away. "And I'm not talking to you, Judai; I'm still pissed that you got me in trouble today!"

"What's he talking about?" wondered Asuka.

"Long story, doesn't matter. Let's go torture him!" Judai responded rather quickly. Misawa and Asuka decided not to pry further into the matter; besides, torturing Manjyome was always fun.

.

Said Gokaido to his challenger, "I hope you don't think I'm gonna go easy on you, Ra boy. I know you were an Osiris once, and I doubt your skills got any better."

Said Sho defiantly to his opponent, "You'll just see how good my deck's gotten, so bring it on!"

"If you insist," narrowed Gokaido's eyes.

And so they unsheathed their duel disks.

**DUEL****!**

**Gokaido****: 8000 ****LP**** (****Life ****Points****)**

**Sho****: 8000 ****LP**** (****Life ****Points****)**

Gokaido began the duel: "My turn, draw! …I'll start by summoning Marauding Captain, in Attack Mode."

**Marauding ****Captain****: 1200 ****ATK**** (****Attack ****Points****)**

"And, thanks to his special ability, I'm able to Special Summon a Level 4 monster from my hand to the field, and I choose my Queen's Knight."

**Queen****'****s ****Knight****: 1500 ****ATK**

"Then finally, I'll set one card face down in the Spell/Trap Zone, and end my turn." Gokaido finished his turn with three cards remaining In his hand.

"My turn, draw!" exclaimed his small opponent.

.

Meanwhile, Manjyome was at peace at last, until he heard footsteps approaching him. "Aw, come on!" he complained as his space was now invaded by Judai and his crew. "There are plenty of empty seats to fill up there!"

Judai grinned as he sat beside his rival, "Yeah well, nothing beats the front row!"

"Yeah and besides," grinned Kenzan who took the seat right behind Manjyome's and grabbed his shoulders unexpectedly, "you look so lonely down here! You look like you can use a hug!"

"Augh!" Manjyome pulled himself away from the Kenzan; "Claws off the merchandise, dino-boy!"

"I was only teasing you, jerk-o-saurus," shot back a cat-eyed Kenzan.

Misawa took the seat right behind Judai, and Asuka sat beside the Ra student. "I think Sho would appreciate it if all his friends gathered in one place to cheer him on," said Misawa.

Manjyome crossed his arms. "I'm not rooting for anybody; I was just hoping to get a few moments peace. You know, _alone_."

.

Meanwhile, Sho's turn was still underway; "I summon Steamroid in attack mode!"

A train whistle blew as a cute, cartoon-like train appeared on his field.

**Steamroid****: 1800 ****ATK**

"And now," announced the petite Sho, "I'll attack your Captain with Steamroid, and whenever he attacks, his attack points increase by 500!"

**Steamroid****: 2300 ****ATK**** (****Battle ****phase****)**

Gokaido watched helplessly as his weaker warrior dressed in a silver suit of armor was run over by the cartoonish train as it blew a hefty puff of steam.

**Gokaido****: 8000 - 6900 ****LP**

Sho then announced, "I'll set a card now, and end my turn."

"My turn, draw!" shouted Gokaido. "I now summon King's Knight to the field."

**King****'****s ****Knight****: 1600 ****ATK**

"And now that I have King's Knight and Queen's Knight out on the field together, I'm able to Special Summon from my deck, Jack's Knight!"

**Jack****'****s ****Knight****: 1900 ****ATK**

"They make a terrific trio, don't you think?" he smiled. "Now Jack's Knight, attack that train!"

Sho was prepared for this moment. "I activate my face-down card: _Limiter__Removal_! This card doubles the original attack of all face-up Machine-type monsters on my field!"

**Steamroid****: 3600 ****ATK**

Jack's Knight was destroyed, and so were a portion of Gokaido's Life Points.

**Gokaido****: 6900 - 5200 ****LP**

The crowd started getting louder as they had newfound hope for the seemingly weaker Sho. Sho himself took a deep breath of relief; he only placed Limiter Removal face down through a gut feeling that he would need it.

At that point, even Gokaido was applauding the young Ra. "Well done, Sho. I honestly didn't see that coming."

Sho blushed. "Heh-heh, well… I kinda learned from the best, you know?"

.

"Aw, he doesn't need to thank me," gloated Judai as he elbowed the dark-haired, black-coated Osiris next to him.

.

Gokaido smiled to Sho, "You're talking about your brother Ryo, aren't you?"

"Of course I am!" Sho smiled back.

.

"Wha!?" Judai face-faulted. Manjyome giggled at his rival's error in judgment.

.

Then Sho's tone toward his opponent became more serious. "When I first came to this school, nobody believed that I could be as good as Ryo. I didn't even believe in myself! But after everything I've learned in the last three years, I know now that I've got more power than I ever thought. So yes, I'm dedicating this duel to my big brother, because if I win, I'll prove once and for all that I'm just as good a duelist as he is."

"It's almost a shame then, that he's not here to see this," Gokaido crossed his arms.

Sho gulped, "True, Ryo's already gone pro… But if he were here now… He'd be sitting right over there-" he pointed toward where Judai and the others were as he said this- "cheering me on like all my friends are right now!"

.

On cue, Judai, Asuka, Kenzan and Misawa let rip a barrage of claps and hollers for their little friend. Manjyome just smiled and gave Sho a peace sign.

.

"Alright Sho," said Gokaido sternly. "I'll first activate my Trap, _Call__of__the__Haunted__._ This lets me bring back a monster from my card Graveyard, and I choose Jack's Knight. Next, I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

"Alright! My move, draw! …I summon Drillroid, in Attack Mode!"

**Drillroid****: 1600 ****ATK**

"Drillroid, attack Queen's Knight!"

"Not so fast, I activate my _Sakuretsu__Armor__!_ Not only does this Trap negate your attack, but it also kills your monster automatically!"

The elitist was right; Sho gasped in horror as his one and only monster out on the field was engulfed by a flash of light, and then disappeared. He was wide open for an attack now.

.

"Oh no, Sho!" gasped Judai in concern.

"He should've seen that coming," muttered Manjyome.

Kenzan then grabbed Manjyome's neck again and growled, "Hey! If you're not cheering for our little buddy, then you can sit somewhere else!"

"I was here first!" barked back Manjyome.

"Guys, stop it!" insisted Asuka nearby. "This game is nowhere near over, and Sho's still winning."

Manjyome pulled away from Kenzan's grip yet again and gave him a deathly glare that scared even the dinosaur duelist enough to wave his hands in surrender.

.

"Ehh," Sho muttered, feeling the pressure. "...I- I set two cards down, and end my turn." It was apparent that he lost his nerve.

"My turn, draw!" exclaimed Gokaido. "I summon Breaker, the Magical Warrior, in Attack Mode."

**Breaker ****The ****Magical ****Warrior****: 1900 ****ATK**

.

"This isn't good," gulped Judai.

"Not good at all," frowned Manjyome beside him.

"Thought you weren't talking to me."

"Sorry, I thought you were Misawa."

"You're still talking to me, though."

"Shuddup, Judai."

"Still talking," whispered the wily red-coated boy.

.

Gokaido's turn continued. "And now, I activate Breaker's special ability. Once he's summoned to the field, he gets what's called a 'counter,' which gives him a power boost of 1900 Attack Points. But I can sacrifice that counter in order to destroy one Spell or Trap on the field. So I'll do just that…"

**Breaker ****The ****Magical ****Warrior****: 1900 - 1600 ****ATK**

"…and destroy the face-down card on your left!"

Sho's Mirror Force was extinguished long before he could get to activate it. He was now breaking out into a sweat.

"Well now," narrowed the eyes of Gokaido, "I promised you I wasn't gonna go easy on you, and I'm about to prove it! King's, Queen's and Jack's Knight, along with Breaker, will all attack your Life Points directly!"

One by one, four monsters- one dressed in studded clubs armor, another in hearts, the third in spades, and the fourth a red-clad magician, literally took their own individual stabs at the helpless Sho. By the end, he was knocked down to his knees.

**Sho****: 8000 - 1400 ****LP**

.

The crowd gasped in shock; some sounded horrified.

Then suddenly, some students started to jeer.

"You suck, Marufuji!"

"Yeah, stop using such weak cards!"

"Go back to Dueling Kindergarten!" This came from a boy just a few seats above where Judai and his friends sat.

"Don't listen to those hacks, Sho-kun!" shouted Judai, the leader of the pack which started to cheer alongside him. "This is _your _moment, your duel! Give it all you got!"

"Yeah, go Sho!" echoed his circle of friends.

Hearing their voices so closely behind him actually snapped Sho out of his brief state of shock. "You guys," he whispered to himself; "what would I do without you?"

Their cheers were getting louder, and soon they were joined by the students around them and near them.

"Come on, Sho!"

"Win this for Ryo!"

"Kick his pants, shorty!"

"You can do it!"

.

By now he couldn't even recognize the voices; he just knew that there was support from all around the gym now. It was enough to bring him back onto his feet and keep fighting. Once he stood tall again, the crowd roared with delight.

"My turn… Draw."

At this point he only had 3 cards in his hand, but at least one of them could help turn the tide.

"I play _Pot__of__Greed_, which lets me draw two new cards…" Then after closely observing his four cards in hand, he sighed, "Sweet… Okay Gokaido, get ready, 'cause I'm about to make my comeback!"

Edo patiently looked on.

Sho made his move: "First, I play the Spell card _Fusion_, and fuse my UFOroid and my Rocket Warrior from my hand, to fusion summon… UFOroid Fighter!"

An unusual fusion monster emerged; it was a flying saucer with cartoony eyeballs, but standing atop of it was Rocket Warrior, a petite mechanical warrior with beady little eyes and a suit of armor that could fold into a rocket.

**UFOroid ****Fighter****: 2700 ****ATK**

"Woah!" gasped a student in the audience. "How'd he get such a strong monster!?"

Sho's ears picked up on the voice; "Simple," he smiled. "UFOroid Fighter's attack points are the sum of UFOroid itself, and whichever Warrior-type monster I fuse it with!"

"Lucky break," said Gokaido with narrowed eyes.

Sho replied, "See if THIS is dumb luck! I activate my Trap Card, _Call__of__the__Haunted__! _You obviously know what it does, since you yourself played it. So now I'll use my own to bring back Steamroid!"

Steamroid came back in a puff of smoke again, retaining its 1800 ATK status from before.

"Is that all you've got?" asked the elitist rather harshly; he knew very well that UFOroid Fighter and Steamroid could do damage, but it wouldn't likely win Sho the duel.

"Oh I'm far from done!" exclaimed the petite Ra Yellow. "Next I summon Jetroid, in Attack Mode!"

**Jetroid****: 1200 ****ATK**

The summoning of this monster, another cutesy machine, threw everyone for a loop. Nobody except Sho knew what he was planning, and he was satisfied with that. He bowed his head a smiled to himself. "This is for you, Onii-san…"

Then he lifted his voice. "UFOroid Fighter, attack Jack's Knight!"

Atop the flying saucer, Rocket Warrior aimed his laser gun at the tall spade-coated knight and opened fire.

**Gokaido****: 5200 - 4400 ****LP**

"Now Steamroid, attack Queen's Knight!"

Steamroid, buffing up to 2300 ATK, slaughtered the heart-studded female knight.

**Gokaido****: 4400 - 3600 ****LP**

Sho took a deep breath of relief; at least for now, two of his opponent's monsters were gone. "…I'll end my turn right here. Go ahead and do your worst, Elite-kun!"

"…With pleasure," grinned the Obelisk student. "My turn, draw!"

Everyone watched with waited breath.

"I pay 800 of my Life Points to play the Spell card, _Premature__Burial__._ Now, like Call of the Haunted before it, I can bring back a monster from my Graveyard. And I choose my Queen's Knight."

While his Life Points were now at 2800, his Spell worked and the heart-studded female knight was back on the field, looking as good as new. But Player was just warming up.

"Now, I summon a new King's Knight to the field, which lets me special summon another Jack's Knight from my deck!" So it was done.

**Jack****'****s ****Knight****: 1900**

"Now, get ready to witness the power of all three of my Knights at once, for I play my own _Fusion_ Spell card! I now fuse my King's Knight, Queen's Knight, and my Jack's Knight, in order to summon… Arcana Joker Knight!"

**Arcana ****Joker ****Knight****: 3800 ****ATK**

Everyone gasped in amazement at this new monster.

Gokaido bared his teeth. "You were a fool to summon that weakling of a monster Jetroid, Sho! It's no wonder why it took you this long to fight for your promotion. Now you're gonna get a beating unlike any other, and there's not a thing you can do about it. Arcana Joker Knight, attack Jetroid and end this now!"

Then, to his amazement, Sho cracked a smile.

He said, "You're wrong… Summoning Jetroid was the best thing I did; I knew you'd want to take out my weakest monster, so that I could play my Trap card!"

"What!?" gasped Gokaido. "WHAT Trap card!? You've only got one on the field, and it's already been activated!"

"Wrong again," smiled Sho. "You've obviously underestimated Jetroid; he's got a special ability that lets my play a Trap card, from my HAND!"

Stunned, the elitist fell silent and let his bulging eyes do all the talking.

"And the Trap card I'm about to play is this one: my _Magic__Cylinder_! Now Arcana Joker Knight's attack strength is about to be redirected at YOU!"

.

Unable to contain his excitement, Judai grabbed ahold of Manjyome's shoulders and started to shake him back and forth like a rag doll, screaming, "He's gonna do it! He's gonna win, he's gonna be an Obelisk!"

"Stop... shaking... me...!" pleaded a dizzy Manjyome.

Rumble, rumble, rumb**le, rumble, rumble, rumble...**

Judai felt the ground below his feet beginning to tremble, just as it did merely hours ago. He let go of his black-coated friend in surprise.

"Judai, seriously! Enough with the shakes!" pleaded Manjyome, before realizing he was freed from Judai's grasp.

"Dude, it's not me," frowned Judai, looking increasingly worried.

.

What sounded like thunder rolled throughout the stadium, followed by a fierce vibration in the ground that was enough to knock everyone off kilter. Sho and his opponent fell to the floor, and could only wait in terror as the quake consumed everyone's train of thought.

Even the walls and ceiling were claimed by the quake; the holograms were flashed off, as were the lights in the building. In one instant, it was bright, the next dark. Screams were howled in the audience, and everyone hung onto their seats or railings for dear life.

And then, just as instantly as it began, it was over within the minute.

The lights flashed back on, but the holograms on the dueling field were down- perhaps for good. Sho was still shaking, from nerve rather than from a quake; he looked around to see if his friends were okay. They were, but they were just about as shaken as he was.

The arena was not the only place that was hit by the unexpected quake; the entire school felt it, and fell into a state of panic.

From where he stood in his office, Principal Sameshima sighed in despair. His plans to keep the students calm had failed.

..

**4:00****pm**

"_Attention…__Attention,__all students and all faculty…__This is Principal Sameshima.__As you are all aware,__there have been minor earthquakes on the island.__Although the damage has been minor and no injuries have been reported,__it is my solemn duty to inform everyone that Duel Academy Island is now,__officially,__unstable. …It pains me to say this,__but as of today,__the school is closed down;__possibly for good._

"_The news of our crisis is spreading throughout the world as we speak.__We have already had a response from Japan and America.__Both the Japanese and Hawaiian navy will be sending out ships immediately.__They will escort you students and staff to either country.__Those of you who are American and of abroad will be taken to Hawaii,__and from there you will be kept and instructed on your further trip home._

"_I know this is all shocking news.__Believe me,__it's not easy to swallow…__But until the volcano is declared stable,__we can no longer put your lives in danger.__I am truly sorry for you students,__who have dedicated yourselves to this school.__And for you, teachers and staff,__you have my humblest apologies._

"_The first sets of navy ships are scheduled to arrive here by midnight.__You have until then to pack up everything and prepare to move out to our main dock.__For those of you expecting to be picked up by plane or helicopter,__please be ready by six o'clock and report immediately to our air traffic station._

"_As for the future of our school,__it is for now uncertain.__But never forget,__my students,__that you are a part of this school, and of its legacy,__now and forever._

"_I will now leave you with your thoughts,__my dear students and staff. …Goodbye,__and take care."_

No one would ever know, but when the principal made this final announcement from his office, he would end it by wiping a few sad tears from his eyes.

..

It took a while for the news to sink in, but within two hours, bags and suitcases were already being packed.

Though they were caught completely by surprise, the students and teachers of Duel Academy were all too willing to prepare for an immediate retreat. Those who could afford it had already set plans for planes and helicopters to come pick them up within three hours.

..

But for some, particularly those of the red Osiris dorm, the departure would not come so quickly; for the majority of the Osiris Red dorm was just too poor to afford a quick getaway. So, they were left to wait for the navy ships to come save them at night.

.

It was all just too much for Judai to handle, so he sat alone under a tree by the dorm. He watched as two others were having their "one last duel," and sighed.

He then took out from under his white and red jacket, a faithful old friend. Hane Kuriboh.

He stared at it; the orange flavor, the Dark symbol, the three Level stars, the stats, the effect… everything up until he looked into the beady yellow eyes of the brown fluff ball with tiny angelic wings. The eyes looked as sad as his own.

"Well, Kuriboh," whispered Judai, "I guess this is it… I knew this was gonna be my last year at this school, but I never thought it'd come this quickly. …I'm really gonna miss this place. Aren't you?"

He paused, as if awaiting an answer from the paper card. The answer would come, but only to his heart.

His moment of peace was soon interrupted by a gust of wind that seemed to have come from out of the blue. It sent his hair and open jacket flying, causing him to stand up on alarm. He had to shield his face as he steadily stomped towards the dorm.

Here, it turned out to be a helicopter ascending from the ground just several of feet away from the red dorm. Judai watched it carefully, while anchoring himself as best he could so as to not get blown away by the blowing wind. That's when he noticed the family name on the side of the black aircraft: "Manjyome"

Before he could get an even better look at who was peeking from the window of the helicopter (an older man, it seemed- most likely one of Jun's brothers), it spurred itself into the air and took off in a flash.

Judai glanced upward at the dorm's top level, where his black-clad rival's room was. It seemed he would be the first of the Osiris students to escape impending danger. He waited for Jun to walk out of his room, but instead he was surprised to see a trio of butlers get out of the helicopter and march up to his room. When they left, they had with them a vast amount of suitcases and other sorts of baggage, but no Jun followed. The helicopter loaded them in, then took off again into the air.

This struck young Judai as unusual, even a little scary. Had Sanda gone missing?

.

The room was small, but cozy enough for Manjyome Jun; he was the only Osiris Red without a roommate, and therefore had only a single bed which was lodged into the far right corner opposite of the doorway. On this bed, Manjyome himself was sitting up with his legs crossed, typing feverishly on his cell phone, the last bit of technology he had now that everything else was taken.

Taken slightly by surprise, the dark-dressed teen looked up. "…Hey."

Judai approached him worriedly. "Hey… W-what're you doing here?"

"Writing an email to my gram'ma."

"Oh… I saw your brothers' helicopter. Didn't you know they were here?"

"Yes," replied Manjyome with closed eyes.

"…So?"

"I told them they could take my things, but I'm staying here."

Judai made himself at home by sitting down at the end of the bed. "Why? Don't you wanna get out of here before the volcano erupts?"

Manjyome looked at him hesitantly, but then replied, "They only came here because it's what gram'ma wanted. Nothing's changed between me and my brothers."

"But Manjyome-"

"Look Judai, I have my reasons for staying here, alright? And I don't need you or anybody else worrying about me. I can take care of myself."

"I know you can," nodded Judai solemnly. "…But isn't it nice to know that they still care about you, even after everything that's happened?"

Manjyome bowed his head, as if trying to hide his frown. "…No. I could tell in their eyes that they were forced to do this. But that's fine. I don't need them. I don't need anybody…"

Judai's eyes narrowed. "So you're just gonna let your grudge over them keep you from being saved? Is that it? Are you really that stubborn, Manjyome-kun?"

"San-da."

"I don't care what you want me to call you! You can't just push somebody away when they're just trying to help you! You think I'm immature; well at least_I_ can swallow my pride and ask for help when I need it!"

"…Are you finished?" muttered Manjyome.

"Well, no," Judai's voice softened. "Actually, I was wondering if you were gonna go home after all this."

"I really don't have a choice in the matter; gram'ma's the head of my household, and she wants me back immediately. So… that's that."

Judai then took a deep breath and slowly headed for the doorway. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his would-be friend's head; why would he stay here when there's nothing left to fight for? The curiosity was killing him.

As he crept back to the doorway, he looked back at Manjyome and said, "If there's anything you need, anything at all, don't be too much of a stubborn ass to call me. Okay?"

"Sure," muttered the teen in black as he wrapped his fingers on his laptop keys.

The boy is red was just about to leave when he heard- "Judai?"

Judai quickly turned around, hoping that his would-be friend had a sudden change of heart.

But he didn't. "Don't ever come in my room without knocking again. Got it?"

Judai gulped, "Ah… Gotcha." Then left rather quickly.

_._

Judai was walking away from the Osiris Red dorm when he heard a familiar feminine voice nearby…

"It's only gonna be for one day, Fubuki. Please."

Then another familiar voice followed.

"Asuka, we can't wait. We all want you home, safe and sound, now."

Judai could see from where he stood that it was indeed his friend Asuka, talking to her older brother Fubuki. He, Fubuki, had graduated from the academy already and was now dressed as casually as a Hawaiian tourist. Judai hardly recognized him at first.

"I can't leave my friends," said Asuka with pleading eyes.

"…Asuka? …Fubuki?" peeped Judai, as he approached them cautiously.

Asuka's brother turned to him. "Oh! Hey, Judai. Are your parents picking you up soon?"

The younger boy shook his head, "No… I only told them what's going on about an hour ago. I have to wait for the boats to arrive tomorrow morning."

"I wanna stay here with you guys," sputtered the young lady. "It kills me to think that you may be in any danger."

Judai then smiled reassuringly. "Aww, don't worry about us, Asuka! Me n' the boys'll be just fine. One night's not gonna kill us."

Asuka then turned to her brother with pleading eyes. "Fine, I'll come home… But can't we take all these guys home with us? I really don't want them to stay here for too long."

"I wish we could, sis," shook Fubuki's head. Asuka sighed.

Then suddenly, it hit Judai. He turned around quickly and stared almost blankly at the Osiris Red dorm. More specifically, at the doorway of Manjyome's room. And he started thinking, _"…__Could__Manjyome__-__kun__be__staying__here__for_us_?"_

_._

III

**11:21****pm**

Only twenty-percent of the island had now been successfully evacuated, and the majority of that percent belonged to Obelisk Blue. The rest of the island was forced to sleep until the alarms would go off to announce the arrival of naval ships at the main port.

Somehow, all of the inhabitants seemed to catch a well-deserved sleep. But just as they did, a select few would wake up to a most bizarre sound.

For Manjyome Jun, that sound would come in the form of a very young child: _"__Manjyo__-__o__-__o__-__o__-__ome__-__ku__-__u__-__u__-__un__?"_

While the spiked-haired teen struggled in his sleep, a strange small yellow light erupted from the deck of cards that stood vigilant on his dresser drawer. The light ball, like a Will o' The Wisp, floated over his bed.

"_Manjyome __no __aniki__?"_ it squeaked. _"….__Hello__?"_

He mumbled in his sleep.

"_I __said __HELLO__!"_

Finally, he sputtered awake. "Hmm? What!? Huh? Who's there!?"

The tiny ball of light then circled around his head. _"__Why __are __you __sleeping__, __aniki__? __Come __on__, __you__'__re __missing __it__!"_

Manjyome seemed to know who and what this strange thing was; what he didn't know was what it was talking about. "…S- …Small fry? What's going on?"

"_Come __on__!"_ its squeaky toddler voice urged. _"__Come __on__, __I__'__ll __show __you__! …__And __bring __the __cards__!"_

When his sprite-like friend was this insistent, Manjyome made it a point to just listen and not ask questions. So he took the light ball's advice; he packed up his decks- all of them, no less than seven- into his long leathery black jacket, and followed the ball of yellow light like a zombie.

_.._

Elsewhere, in his own dorm room, Judai was sleeping soundly as well. And like Manjyome, he too was awakened by a very strange sound:

"_Kuri__-__Kuri__!"_

"Mm….wha?" he muttered as his left eye fluttered open. He sleepily looked around his room, and saw nothing particularly out of the ordinary… except for a little ball of white light hovering in the air near his bed.

"_Kuri__!" _it hauntingly peeped again.

Judai's eyes batted, as if he was coming out of a trance. "…Hane Kuriboh?"

Sure enough, the ball of white light grew a familiar pair of angel wings. Like Manjyome's own sprite, this one led Judai out of his room like a Will o' the Wisp, and he was obligated to follow it.

Judai was not along in that room; he had two bunk mates: Sho, who had the middle bunk, and Kenzan who had the top. While Kenzan would stay asleep, Sho was awakened by Judai's exiting footsteps.

"…Aniki?" he whispered as he struggled out of his sleep.

.

**11:35****pm**

Not everyone would have the ability to see it, but those who do would have seen a most bizarre sight that night: a parade of tiny colorful orbs of light, which seemed to have come from all parts of the world, all dancing toward one common place- the center of the island.

Judai, of course, was one of the chosen few with the gift. He was following one particular small ball of light, but the further he went out into the wilderness, the more tiny balls of light he would see, appearing out of nowhere. They were like fireflies in the dark, only some of them giggled like humans.

He thought out loud to himself, "Are they all… Duel monsters?"

"You mean Duel Spirits," corrected a voice nearby.

Judai turned to his right and saw that he wasn't the only human around. "Elite-kun!" he gasped in surprise.

Sure enough, it was the same elite student- Gokaido- that dueled Sho earlier that day. He gave a sleepy nod, "Hai. That's me… I'm following Marauding Captain."

Judai looked ahead, and he could see the blonde-haired, silvery-armored Warrior, Marauding Captain, steering his human friend while waving his sword.

"Ah," muttered Judai. "…I didn't know you could see Duel Spirits too."

Gokaido nodded, "I heard it's a rare gift. I can't understand it myself."

"There's only one thing_I_ don't understand," replied Judai. "Where are we going?"

..

Elsewhere, not too far from where Judai and Gokaido were, Manjyome was trotting through tall grass and thick brush while in pursuit of not one but _three_ tiny sprites. They, the yellow one, a green one and a near-black one, giggled and played as they danced through the air.

"Slow down, you guys!" beckoned the trailing Manjyome. "I can't run that fast!"

_"Come on, Aniki! Keep up!_" shouted the high-pitched yellow light.

"_This __way__! __Keep __up__, __keep __up__!"_ echoed the other spirits.

Manjyome panted, "Can't… see… heh… it's too… dar-A-A-AUGH!" He stumbled over a steep hill and tumbled harshly into a pit.

While lay curled upside down, he moaned as the three colorful sprites hovered over to him, laughing at his clumsiness.

The human growled. "This is all _your_ fault, you crazy… stupid… little Ojama Brothers!"

"_Who__, __us__?"_ smiled the sharp-toothed, pot-bellied Ojama Black innocently.

"_Not __our __fault__,"_ replied the one-yellow-eyed and muscular Ojama Green with a long tongue that always seemed to stick out.

The smallest one, Ojama Yellow, with eye sockets that grew out from his forehead like antennae, purred in response. _"__We__'__re __not __the __ones __who __went __over __a __cliff__, __Aniki__."_

"I'm _not_ your Aniki," growled Manjyome as he rolled himself upright, "And whose idea was this anyway!?"

"_We__'__re__just__following__the__others__,"_ said Ojama Black as he pointed forward.

"_What_ others?" wondered their human friend.

"_The __other __Duel __Spirits__, __Aniki__!"_ said Ojama Yellow with a fat-lipped smile. _"__We__'__re __all __going __where __they__'__re __going__, '__cause __wherever __they__'__re __going __must be __exciting__!"_

"Let me get this straight," grumbled Manjyome as he dusted his shoulders. "You don't even know where we're going, or why?"

The three tiny mutants exchanged confused faces with each other. _"__Uhhh__… __uhhh__….?"_

"That's so STUPID!" shouted the frustrated teen; his booming voice sent the spirits flying. "I swear, it's like the three of you got one third of a whole brain!"

"_What__'__s __your __point__?"_ wondered Ojama Green.

Manjyome just snarled. "Ugh… I'm outta here."

Just as he got to his feet, the human's smallest friend cried out desperately, _"__WAIT__!"_

Manjyome watched as Ojama Yellow pointed forward with over-boiled enthusiasm. _"__There__… __There __it __is__, __Aniki__!"_

**-11:50****pm****-**

Like small rivers of light, hundreds of small orbs of light came bobbing toward a vast void in the middle of the woods. It would seem like this area was hit by a meteor; but actually, it was created by the latest volcanic earthquake. Further evidence would be the deep, jagged trench leading up to this pit.

The first two to arrive were Judai and Gokaido, followed by Manjyome from the other side of the pit. Once they all stopped observing the location, their attention turned to each other.

"Judai!"

"Manjyome-kun!"

"It's-"

"San-da!"

"Elite-kun!?"

"_Judai__?"_

"Ojama Yellow!"

"_Winged__Kuriboh__?"_

"_Kuri__!"_

"Watapon!?" The last voice came from a girl, who was running toward the pit, chasing after a small fuzzy pink ball with sky blue eyes and small antennae. "Watapon, come back!" she cried out again.

The blondish girl skidded to a halt just as she had caught her runaway duel spirit before it came too close to the pit. She was then followed by three other Obelisk Blue girls, all following their own duel spirits.

The boys and girls all exchanged glances of wonder and shock.

"Well, this is slightly awkward," gulped Gokaido.

"I didn't realize," blinked Judai, "how many of us had the gift…"

Then they all looked down, toward the bottomless put before them. They could see now that the duel spirits which seemed to be coming from all over were being drawn toward the pit, and then trickled down it like drops of water.

"The spirits!" observed one of the teen boys. "They're… they're all falling into the pit!"

"They're not falling… They're jumping," said Gokaido.

"But why?" frowned Judai. Just then, his own spirit mate Winged Kuriboh appeared on his shoulder. It cooed as it stared into the abyss.

"What's down there, little buddy?" asked the tan-eyed human.

"_Someone__'__s__… __calling __us__!"_ exclaimed Ojama Yellow nearby. He clutched into the sides of his head as if he has ears.

"_Manjyome__-__kun__!"_ he then exclaimed, as he started to feel a gravitational force draw him closer to the pit. Frantically, he swam through the air up to his puzzled human partner's shoulder and clung to it for dear life. _"__Don__'__t __let it __get __me__, __Aniki__!"_

Just then, the other spirit mates of the humans jumped into the arms of their caretakers; they included a Watopon, a Fox Fire, a Petit Dragon, and a Gigobyte. Like those partners of Judai and Manjyome, these creatures appeared to be transparent; and yet, once they were in their arms, their human counterparts could feel them.

At this point, Maniyome's arms were full with all three Ojamas. "Judai!" he called out. "Let's get out of here!"

"He's right," gasped one of the girls. "It's too dangerous here! Come on girls, run!" With that, the four of them took off with their spirit friends in a mad dash.

Manjyome would have had the sense to save himself, had he not felt so obligated to stick with the boys. "Come on, you guys!" he hollered at them.

But one of them was not ready to leave yet, not without his duel spirit. Gokaido was seen pulling at the transparent, armored arm of his Marauding Captain. The Captain, meanwhile, had his heels on the edge of the pit; he was ready to fall in.

"Captain! Hold on, I've got you! Pull yourself up!"

"_My __Master __is __calling__,"_ he said softly.

"I'M your Master!" beckoned the teen in blue. "Now get UP here! Please!"

Judai rushed over to grab Gokaido's arms, for he too was starting to sink toward the abyss.

"_It__'__s __too __late__,"_ replied the armored duel spirit solemnly. His feet then gave in to gravity.

"CAPTAIN! NO-O-O-O!" screamed Gokaido in vain.

With one more spirit added to the pit, everything started to get dark. The moon seemed to have vanished, as did the sparkling light of the duel spirits. It was a bone-chilling darkness.

..

Elsewhere, in places where digital clocks were lit up, the time would read the following:

**12:00****am****- ****Midnight**

**..**

"AN-I-KI-I-I-I! ….ANIKI, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Sho sounded his calls toward the edge of the woods, just outside the Osiris Red dorm. As much as he wanted to be with his "big bro," he couldn't muster the willpower to do so. Something felt very wrong in the atmosphere, and it was holding him back.

"Aniki is gone!?" came the voice of a distressed Kenzan from the balcony of the dorm's second level. "Where!?"

"I don't know," replied Sho; "He just disappeared!"

"Well don't just stand there like a lazy-saurus! Let's go find him!"

Sho looked back toward the trees. "…It's too late."

Sho wasn't the only one who felt something wrong in the air. Other students took the feeling differently.

.

Misawa stood up half the night studying up on his computer, but it was just his way to avoid the stress.

.

Others in the Ra Yellow dorm stood up playing their card games half the night. They too felt stressed by the atmosphere.

.

Professor Chronos stood vigilant in the lighthouse, looking through a telescope for the naval ships that would soon arrive. But his attention was then drawn elsewhere, toward the center of the island.

His glance aimed itself at the smoking volcano. "…Mama mia… She's going to explode, yes!"

He wasted no time in sounding an alarm, thanks to the lighthouse's immense fog horn.

.

_**BOO**__**-**__**OO**__**-**__**OO**__**-**__**OO**__**-**__**OO**__**-**__**OO**__**-**__**OOM**__**!**_

_**.**_

Half of the island may have heard the fog horn's ear-splitting boom, but the other half was already distracted by the rumble coming from deep within the earth.

..

While the boys have clearly outlived their stay at the bottomless pit, Judai and Manjyome had their hands full with securing their duel spirit friends, as well as getting Gokaido back on his feet. After losing his own spirit partner, the elite Obelisk fell to his knees in utter despair. He was truly a lost soul.

Judai started to shake him. "Come on, Gokaido, wake up! …Elite-kun! Wake up! We gotta get outta here!"

"Judai, let's just grab him and run," said the teen in black.

Judai took Manjyome's suggestion; each one grabbed one of Gokaido's arms and carefully but quickly lifted him up.

.

That's when the earth started to shake- this time, it would be the last shake the island would ever feel. It started relatively softly, with the ground moving moderately slowly. But within moments, everyone was forced to their feet- everyone.

..

Those who were wise enough to head for the safest bearings, like an open doorway for example, made it there just in time. In fact, Misawa was one of them, and even had time to pull in a fellow Ra toward the safe spot.

..

But others, like Judai and company, weren't so lucky. With nothing to hold them, they fell to the ground within seconds. It felt like they were on top of a speeding car.

When the quake's vibration met its top speed, the earth started to crack and tear like tissue paper all around the volcano. It was an invitation for the volcano's lava to come pouring out like blood from a gunshot wound.

Then, all of that magma started to sink deep into the ground, until it seemed all but gone. Then all of a sudden, the violent quaking seemed to be dying down, almost to a halt.

As peaceful as that moment was, Manjyome knew better. He turned to his friends and said fearfully, "…We gotta go. …Go! NOW!"

With that, Judai pulled Gokaido forward, and the three of them made a mad dash in the direction they thought would take them back to the dorms.

The boys would only be halfway home, when the worst of their fears became a reality. The volcano was taking one last breath before exhaling the worst eruption it ever had in centuries…

In just one mere moment, all was quiet.

And then, with one loud, heart-stopping "Foom," it had happened. The night sky was cut in half by a line of fire, rock and magma. Even the naval ships approaching the island could see it.

.

On cue, following a blast of wind from the volcano, all of the windows of Duel Academy and the dormitories shattered.

The blast was immediately followed by a great tremor that rocked the whole island. All of the dormitories suffered under it with collapsing ceilings; but the Obelisk Blue dorm was perhaps the most shaken. In fact, it had actually started to sink into the ground in mid-quake, as did the lake by its side.

Soon the sky started to rain down boulders of burning magma, setting off wildfires in different parts of the woods.

..

It was unclear now just where Judai and company were; wherever they were, they were either facing a violent firestorm or running straight toward an opening in the earth.

It didn't matter where anyone was at that moment; they all seemed doomed.

**TO****BE****CONTINUED**

Next Chapter: **The****End****of****Innocence**

Featured Duels: None

..

AUTHOR'S NOTES (2):

Credits go to my friend, "Gaea," for his Knight deck.

.

Japanese names:

**Judai ****Yuki** Jaden Yuki

**Jun ****Manjyome** Chazz Princeton

**Tyranno ****Kenzan** Tyranno Hassleberry

**Professor ****Chronos ****De ****Medici** Dr. Crowler

**Principal ****Sameshima** Chancellor Shepherd

**Daichi ****Misawa** Bastion Misawa (the white streaks in his hair are taken from the "Yu-Gi-Oh: GX" manga, exclusively in Japan)

**Asuka ****Tenjoin** Alexis Rhodes

**Sho ****Marafuji** Syrus Trusedale

**Gokaido**** "****Elite****-****kun****" ****Houzan** Reginald Van Howell III

**Ryo**** "****Kaiser****" ****Marufuji** Zane Trusedale

.

Japanese translations:

**Last ****names ****before ****first ****names:** In Japan, it's customary to address someone by using their last name before their first; i.e., "Yuki Judai" is in our language Judai Yuki.

**Aniki:** "Big brother," or "Big bro." Slang word, which could be compared to our "Buddy," or "Dude."

**-****kun:** Suffix reserved for a young man, or male peer; casual.

**-****san:** Suffix reserved for someone of great respect; comparable to "Sir."

**Hai: **"Yes."

**Nii****-****san:** "(Older) Brother." Also knows as "Onii-san."


	2. End of Innocence

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Two: "The End of Innocence"**

I

It was surprisingly chilly that night. Though Duel Island was in the middle of its most cataclysmic volcano eruption ever, everyone there had to wear jackets, or else succumb to a harsh draft in the air.

It was just past midnight when the island's active volcano split into a raging mountain of fire; the earth was also splitting, tearing to pieces. And just beyond the shore, waiting for any signs of life, was a fleet of naval ships undergoing their own battle against minor tsunami waves.

.

The air was cackling like a bonfire within the forest, where three unfortunate teenagers- Judai and Manjyome of the Osiris Red dorm, and Gokaido of the Obelisk Blue dorm- were running frantically for their lives. Luckily for them, they weren't far from the red dorm. Nor were they lost; four kindly Duel Spirits were wisely guiding their way.

"_Hurry! Hurry, Aniki!"_ pleaded the ghostly Ojama Yellow; he was accompanied in mid-air by his brothers Black and Green, along with a cooing Winged Kuriboh.

Manjyome and Judai had their hands full; they were forced to drag their would-be friend Gokaido. After he had lost his own Duel Spirit, Gokaido was now an empty shell. Even his eyes looked empty.

"I hope you four know where you're going!" pleaded Manjyome in response to his "little brother's" earlier plea.

Judai's attention was elsewhere; "Come on, Elite-kun! Pick up your feet and run!" Gokaido was quiet. Too quiet. "Come on, wake up! What's wrong with you!?" Judai panted.

"Don't you see, Judai?" replied Manjyome in a huff. "He's lost his Duel Spirit; he's traumatized!"

"I understand that," replied Judai, "but doesn't he realize we're in danger!?"

Already they were getting tired; Manjyome stopped them and said, "Okay… Maybe we should try something different. I'll grab his arms, you grab his legs. Then we run like hell!"

Judai nodded, "Okay… Come'ere, Gokaido."

Panicked as they were, the boys took their time in positioning Gokaido as they had planned; the teen in Blue remained helplessly still as Manjyome pulled on his shoulders, Judai his legs. Once they were ready, they made a run for it. But only for a short while.

.

_**FOO-OO-OO-OO-OO-OOM!**_

Another wave of fire erupted from the volcano, followed by a shocking tremor in the earth. It forced the wanderers onto their backs or stomachs within seconds. Then their worst fears happened; right below them came a crack in the earth that would appear to be bottomless, and it opened up like massive jaws.

.

It separated Manjyome from Judai and Gokaido, and it was the pair of teens who would be in the most danger.

"JUDAI!" screamed Manjyome; he watched in horror as his two wandering buddies fell right into the bottomless trench.

_.._

Helped arrived too little too late for the Osiris Red dorm; three vehicles- two pickup trucks and one bus- came reeling from the Ra Yellow dorm just a few miles away. But by the time they arrived, they realized that the smaller more humble red dorm was slowly being swallowed by the earth.

Misawa, whose opened yellow jacket revealed a night blouse underneath, jumped out of the green pickup truck before it made a complete stop and dashed toward the site; "The red dorm! It's sinking!" he exclaimed.

Two others followed him; one of them gasped, "There must be a fissure right underneath it!"

Misawa wasted no time in calling out his friends: "Judai! Sho! …Anybody!?"

Then to his relief, two familiar figures came running to him, calling his name. It was Sho and Kenzan; they were still in their bedtime attire.

"Guys!" gasped Misawa. "Where are the others!?"

"Judai and Manjyome are gone," panted Sho.

"But we got everyone else out. I think…" panted Kenzan.

"Who's left?" blinked Misawa curiously.

His questioned was answered by a scream coming from behind the sinking dorm. It sounded like a young lady in distress.

"REI!" gasped Sho; he had forgotten all about the dorm's one and only resident female and led the charge to where the scream came from.

Sure enough, the small mini-hotel known as the Manjyome room which stood near the red dorm was sinking into a hole as well. There was a broken window in the building which revealed a small hand reaching out from it.

"Help me! Someone, help me!"

Misawa and Kenzan beat Sho to the distressed young lady screaming from an open window in the back of the Manjyome room. Rei, a petite preteen with long midnight blue hair and hazel brown eyes, peeked out from the window wearing a long pink nightgown.

"We're here, Rei-saurus!" called out Kenzan. "We'll save you!"

"Hurry," she gulped, "the ceiling's collapsing!"

"Move away from the window, Rei!" advised Misawa loudly.

When the coast was clear, Kenzan gave Misawa a boost so that he could face the already shattered window head on. Then he rolled up his elbow with his Ra Yellow jacket.

_**Crash!**_

Rei yipped in surprise, not expecting Misawa to bust through the window so suddenly. Then she took a deep breath as he reached out to her. Without hesitation, she grabbed her sleeveless red jacket and then Misawa's arm. Kenzan then pulled the two of them out with one mighty heave.

The three of them hit the ground hard in a small dog pile. Sho sighed deeply with relief, while what was left of the two buildings continued their plummet. "…What do we do now?" he then asked.

Misawa helped the others to their feet while saying, "We've brought three vehicles, but I don't think it'll be enough. Is there a garage somewhere?"

"Yes there is," nodded Kenzan. "I'll grab the jeep-o-saurus!"

"Anything else?" asked Misawa.

"We've got three-wheelers and four-wheelers the others could ride," replied Sho.

"What about Manjyome's motorbike?" suggested Misawa. "Can anyone else ride that?"

"No!" gasped Rei. "Manjyome-sempai and Judai-kun need that! They're out there somewhere, Misawa! We have to go find them!"

Misawa shook his head, "I'm sorry, Rei. Time's running short already, we have to move these students to the shore immediately."

"But…"

"Rei, I know you want them to be safe. Don't think we don't feel the same way. But we must get you and the others to shore, now!"

Misawa practically dragged her away from the still-sinking building, as the red dorm's rooftop caved in.

_.._

After tumbling into a fast-growing crater in the earth, Judai found himself clinging onto a small lump of dirt just inches away from the surface. Right below him was Gokaido, who was barely even awake as he dangled by his long blue coat which was hooked onto another lump of dirt.

Judai paused to breathe as he looked over the situation; as each second ticked away, the wall of dirt they were hanging onto was quickly slipping away.

He let out a gulp. "…Ehh… Gokaido! …Gokaido, can you hear me!?"

No response.

"Listen! I'm coming down there, and I'm gonna pick you up! Okay? You just hang on!"

Still no response; it was as if the Obelisk student was comatose.

Judai had no choice but to carefully scale down the wall of dirt, watching every step he took to make sure his footing was correct. But it was no use; on his last step he realized that he was still too far from reaching his would-be friend. Had he taken one more step downward, he surely would have fallen to his death.

"Gokaido! Please wake up! Please!"

Judai's heart was racing as he felt all the more desperate to make one last try to reach Gokaido's coat. He took a deep breath, and then quickly lunged at it by letting himself slide further down the pit.

He has succeeded in grabbing the coat… but tragically, he failed to hold onto the boy. As Judai's grip on the earth slipped, so did Gokaido's. The conscious teen was forced to watch the unconscious one slip like a rock into the darkness.

"NO-O-O-O-O-O-O…!"

_**WHOO-OO-OOSH!**_

On cue, the pit gave off a furious blast of hot air which pushed Judai up against the wall. He could barely keep his grip as the air became increasingly too hot to breathe in. But as soon as the wind blast ceased, Judai found himself alone again; only this time, he was way too far from arm's reach of the surface.

Like a cat he frantically clawed into the earth, but as the air was heating up the once solid wall was now melting into soft soil. Again and again he raked the wall, but he was only getting halfway upward to the surface. To make things worse, he was running out of energy, fast. Even so, he did not once take his eyes off of the sky, which was now teasing him.

Once he was finally back where he had started, at the safe lump of dirt he had first clung onto, he took a quick sigh of relief. But within a heartbeat, the lump cracked off of the wall. In that one moment, Judai was in mid-air, seconds away from joining Gokaido in the abyss.

But then, just as quickly, an arm caped in a long black sleeve reached down from Heaven and grabbed his.

Judai blinked, thinking that he had just witnessed a miracle… but then he looked up, and saw that it was no angel that had saved him, but Manjyome.

"…Had to go for the dramatics, didn't you?" joked the teen in black, just before pulling his friend up to the surface.

By the time Judai's legs met with soft grass again, the two boys paused to breathe. Manjyome recovered more quickly than Judai, but gave him an extra moment to hug the grass.

Once Judai rolled onto his back in relaxation, Manjyome he dared to ask the inevitable question: "…Gokaido …Where is he?"

All Judai could do was shake his head sadly.

It was all Manjyome needed to see; he hung his head in sorrow. "…We have to keep going."

Judai quietly agreed, but not before looking back up to the starry sky; one last moment of peace was all he needed before he would let Manjyome pull him up.

_.._

A bus full of injured and shaken Ra Yellow students burned rubber on a dirt road, followed by two pickup trucks, a jeep, and about five small buggies dragging helpless Osiris Red students. They were making quick speed toward the shore, which was now just two miles and a cliff away.

Rei, who sat in the back of Kenzan's jeep, shivered in the cold; her nightgown and sleeveless red jacket weren't enough to shield her from heavy winds. Misawa, sitting beside her, offered up his yellow jacket as a blanket.

Sho, sitting in the passenger seat, wondered out loud, "Where have all the Obelisk students gone?"

Misawa pointed to a clearing up ahead; "There they are! They took a different route from us. They're nearly onshore now…"

_.._

Small boats departed from the naval ships had braved the violent winds and waves and made it safely to shore, just several feet away from the lighthouse.

One man dressed in a Japanese Navy suit ran up to Principal Sameshima, who was waiting for him. "Sir!" saluted the officer. "The ships are ready. Are your students on their way?"

Sameshima glanced toward the lighthouse. "Any second now… I just hope Chronos gets down from that tower before-"

As if on cue, he was cut off by a disturbing "Crackle" sound coming from the lighthouse. All of the earthquakes it had endured up to this moment had finally worn it out. Sameshima and the navy officer watched helplessly as the lighthouse crumbled to the ground.

"CHRONOS!" the principal screamed in horror. "Chronos-san! Chronos-san!"

"I'm right here, am I not!?" came a voice behind the principal, startling him.

Sameshima whipped around. "Oh! Chronos! Thank goodness; I thought you were-"

"Still in the lighthouse, yes? Well I was wise enough to run out as soon as I hit the alarm, no!"

"No?"

"That meant yes!"

"Oh… Yes. I mean no. I mean, uh…"

Chronos then turned to the left with happy open arms. "Aah! Here come my students, safe and sound!"

They could see now that three buses carrying injured and shaken Obelisks, both male and female, skimming the sandy beach toward their way.

_.._

"…Oh my God…"

It had seemed as though Judai and Manjyome arrived at their dorm too late; not only did it seem to be deserted, but the building itself was nothing more than a shrunken, beaten down mess.

"The dorm…" Judai's bottom jaw started to chatter; he was clearly too shocked to even make a move. So Manjyome did the moving on his behalf.

The teen in black started to make a semi-circle around the dorm, shouting out names. "SHO! KENZAN! REI! IS ANYONE HERE!?"

After making a full circle around the dorm, Manjyome made his way back to Judai and panted, "Nobody's here…"

"They all left?"

"They must have. Either that or…. No, no. They all left. That's all there is to it." Then the teen clad in black started to walk off in another direction.

Judai's eyes, which were starting to tear up, were fixed on the dorm. "The red dorm… My home for three years… In just one night, three years just went down the drain… literally! …All those times we'd be joking, laughing, dueling for fun… it looks like it was all for nothing now… what are we gonna-"

**VROOM!**

Judai's chain of thought was shattered by the reeling of a motorbike. He whipped his head to the right and saw Manjyome skidding across the grass on his motorcycle. The bike made a harsh semi-circle for a stop.

"Well?" said the teen in black loudly. "Are you just gonna stand there, or do you wanna get out of here!?"

"Where'd_that_ come from?" gawked a surprised Judai.

Manjyome explained, "This was all there was in the garage. Everything else was taken!"

"You mean…"

"'Fraid so…"

Neither teen liked the idea, but since there was no other way out for both of them, Judai was left to sit right behind Manjyome, his arms wrapped around Manjyome's torso were the only seatbelt he would have.

"You get too comfortable back there," growled the driver, "and I swear to God I'll throw you off."

"Understood," nodded the passenger.

And with that, the motorcycle took off in a mad dash.

..

In the far distance, the rocky slope which once shielded Duel Academy from the volcano was now oozing with red-hot lava.

..

Manjyome tried to keep on the dirt road, but by the time they came this far, the road was fractured by fissures. The motorbike had to do the best it could off-road, tearing through the woods like a bat out of hell. And with good reason; the wildfires of the woods were gaining on them.

Judai watched Manjyome's back, warning him about falling debris from left and right. On command, the motorbike shifted gears to avoid getting hit by falling fire. And for a while, they seemed to be making great progress.

But the island wasn't done exploding just yet.

As the boys braved a long, steep slope that would carry them to the beach, the earth gave out one last breath before opening up another fissure. This one cracked right onto the path of Manjyome's motorcycle.

"Hang on," gasped the driver, as his sweaty hands gripped onto the steering arms. He was ready to make the jump over the open earth- at the speed he was going, he had no other choice.

The slope, fortunately, gave Manjyome's motorcycle more than enough momentum to take flight right when he lifted its gears upward. In one swift moment, the boys were flying.

But their landing was far less than graceful; having never done this stunt before, Manjyome panicked at the last minute and steered the motorbike off course upon landing it. The motorbike then tilted to the right and plopped onto the sand with a long skid. In the process, Judai was thrown off it and tumbled onto the sand.

The brunette was knocked nearly unconscious, but almost as soon as he stopped tumbling he shook off the beach sand from his face. While still stunned, Judai glanced around and noticed something that would make him gasp: his Duel Monsters cards were scattered everywhere!

Manjyome slowly pulled himself out from underneath his motorbike and moaned in pain; his right leg was badly injured. He pushed himself up while panting heavily, and paused.

"…Judai?" he glanced around worriedly. Then he saw it: Judai was scrambling on the sandy floor, trying desperately to gather up all his cards. Manjyome gasped, and limped toward the boy in red.

"Judai… what are you doing!?"

"Come on, Manjyome, help me!"

"We don't have time; we've gotta make a run for it!"

Judai kept on scrambling for his cards. "Just a minute. I almost got 'em all."

"We don't _have_ a minute, Judai! Let's go!"

"Just wait…"

Judai had almost all of them now; the Elemental Heroes, the Spells, the Neo Spacians, the Traps… There was only one more left to grab…

"Hane Kuriboh… Where's Hane Kuriboh!?"

"_Kuri!"_

Judai's heart stopped when he saw that his most treasured card- his Duel Spirit friend- was sitting helplessly on the edge of the fissure, which was still growing.

"Hane Kuriboh!" Judai gasped in horror. Then, he made a leap for it.

"Judai!" Manjyome gaped in shock.

Judai's leap only took him halfway to the card; he would have to crawl the rest of the way, for the earth started to shake again. Panic-stricken, Judai's arms reached out in desperation for his most beloved card. But... it wasn't enough. While it was merely an inch away, the Winged Kuriboh card met with the opening fissure, and fell in.

Judai may have very well jumped in after it, had Manjyome not grabbed his legs in time.

"Leave it, Judai!" screamed the teen in black desperately. "We have to go! NOW!"

"Hane Kuriboh…!" Judai cried out one last time, before finally giving in to Manjyome's demands. Together they took to their feet- well actually, Manjyome was only hopping on one- and moved as quickly as they could from the gaping pit.

Meanwhile, the last boat was about to take off, carrying with it the last of the Ra Yellows and Osiris Reds. Misawa, Rei, Sho and Kenzan all stood vigilant on it, waiting and hoping for their friends to arrive. And sure enough, they did.

"Look!" pointed Sho, "There they are!"

"Oh, thank Heaven," sighed Misawa deeply.

The four of them wasted no time in jumping ship and helping Judai and Manjyome to safety.

..

II

_Japan: 1:45 in the morning_

That same night, in the small city of Domino, a twenty-something arose from a deep sleep, as if waking up from a nightmare. A faint beam of moonlight shone through a diagonal window by his bed, shadowing his face.

The young man brushed away sweat from his brow, where his bright yellow bangs dangled. The rest of his hair was almost completely black and spiked straight upward, with red-violet highlights on the tips of those spikes.

He took a breath. "Something's… not right. …I can feel it." He clutched onto his chest, in the same area a once prozed pyramid-shaped object was once placed.

Curious about his intuition, the young man crept downstairs, past the room where a much older man was sleeping soundly. Very quietly, he sat down on the couch of his living room and with the remote control he turned the television on.

What he saw onscreen made his red-violet eyes pinch with utter shock.

He wouldn't be the only one turned on to breaking news about the fate of Duel Academy Island that early morning.

_.._

Misawa was staring out on the open sea with binoculars; all he could see at this point was smoke coming from what was left of the once beautiful island. He was not alone; others, some bandaged and held up by crutches, were also looking on forlornly at their former home.

Someone else was on crutches too; after having his wounded leg patched up, Manjyome started lumbering around the ship in search of survivors. He even asked around for the four girls he saw in the woods that night. No one seemed to know where they were. It was all too likely that those unfortunate girls never made it back to their dorm. Eventually, Manjyome would make it back to the center of the ship, where many young students were still recovering from near-fatal injuries. There was only one victim on his mind now.

Cautiously, as to not alarm his friend, Manjyome peeked into the room where Judai was recovering. While he wasn't badly injured, the brunette was overcome with trauma. He laid on his stomach on a thin bed, staring up at the ceiling with eyes as empty as Gokaido's, right before he died.

"…Judai?" Manjyome gulped. He then noticed that the teen wasn't alone; a nurse and two of Judai's best friends- Sho and Kenzan- were near his side.

Manjyome then bravely entered the room with a limp in his stride and approached the quiet teen on the bed. "Judai-kun… I just wanted to say… Well, I wanna say… how sorry I am that you… you know… lost Hane Kuriboh."

No response.

"I know how much that card meant to you…"

Judai's eyes rolled slightly.

"Well it was more than a card, really… It was like… your best friend. Anyway, I can understand if you're mad at me. I just wanted to… you know… get you out of there before… …Well, anyway, I- I hope you feel better soon. …And I also wanted to say, that Hane Kuriboh isn't really gone. I mean… he's still part of you, you know? On the inside…"

Judai could only respond with a slight tilt of his head.

"…Well… I'm sorry. …I was just trying to help. …I'll go now."

Manjyome limped out of the room with a heart heavy with guilt, but he was about to discover that someone was following him.

"Wait up, Manjyome-kun," said Sho, as he caught up with him.

"San-da. What do you want, shorty?"

Sho gave him a polite bow. "I just wanted to thank you. I'm pretty sure Aniki wouldn't have made it out alive without you."

Manjyome hung his head still. "I didn't do much."

Sho argued calmly, "You could have saved yourself back there, but instead you brought Judai along. I know he can't really say it right now, but I'm sure he's grateful for what you did."

"Hyeah, I can see his appreciation."

"Give him time. You'll see." Then Sho's pace stopped altogether, letting Manjyome go on alone. "I gotta get back to him. Don't be a stranger, okay?"

"Okay…" Then Manjyome was left alone, to let his thoughts sink in. He started to remember how different he was in his first year at Duel Academy; the way he used to act, the things he used to say…

"_Get your_own_food, you stupid drop-out boy!"_

"_You_knock_before you enter my room!"_

"_Shut up, you pathetic small fries!"_

"_Stop following me around!"_

It was all becoming too clear now; he just wasn't the same person anymore. …And he was wondering if that was a good thing or not.

.

Meanwhile, Sho was lost in his own thoughts as he walked slowly back to Judai's room. Standing outside the doorway was Kenzan, who crossed his arms.

"So," muttered the dinosaur fanatic, "what now?"

Sho blinked. "What do you mean?"

Kenzan frowned. "This is it, Sho-saurus. Once we dock, we'll all go home and it'll all be over."

Sho nodded. "Hmm. I guess you're right."

"Are we still gonna keep in touch, and hang out like we used to?"

"Sure," smiled Sho positively. "I don't see how that could be a challenge." Then Sho's attitude shifted as quickly as his head turned to the floor. "I'm just not sure if anybody's gonna pick us up when we get to shore."

"Your brother-saurus would, I'll bet."

"My brother's too busy for me…"

Then Kenzan frowned.

Little did they know, the majority of the survivors were feeling the same doubts. It was nearly two in the morning; who could possibly be waiting for them back home in Japan?

..

III

Tons of people seemed to be waiting for them. News people, doctors, nurses, and yes, family members too. All were gathered at the navy yard on the coast of Kagoshima.

Even though it was still barely morning, and the teens were all dead tired, there was plenty of commotion. Pictures flashed and cameras rolled as soon as the ships docked and unleashed their passengers. One by one, the healthier students came down first from a long stairway. Soon after them, the more critical ones were escorted.

It was when everyone was on the ground and accounted for that things started to slow down. The students all split into small groups, mostly according to their dorms and circles of friends.

.

Naturally, most of the students from Obelisk Blue went home first. It wasn't that they were favored over the others; it was just that their families were the first to arrive to pick them up. Only one seemingly elite student was left behind, and it was only because Manjyome wasn't ready to leave. Truthfully, he didn't want to leave at all. He sat by his peers dressed in red or yellow, calm as could be. But soon enough, he was joined by someone he didn't expect to see again.

"Hey… Manjyome-kun," said Judai weakly.

"…Sanda," the other teen muttered in response.

Judai gave him a half smile. "Right. Sanda."

"I thought you weren't feeling well."

"I'll be okay, I guess."

"Hmm… So, what's up?"

"I just wanted to thank you, you know, for saving my life."

"I didn't do much."

"That's not how I remember it…" Then Judai reached into his torn red jacket and pulled out a small piece of paper. He then extended it out to Manjyome.

"What's that?"

"It's my home phone number, in case you ever need it… It's the least I could do after everything we went through."

"So you wanna keep in touch, Judai?"

"Sure. That's what friends do, isn't it?"

Manjyome shrugged; he never really considered Judai or the others his friends… until that morning, that is. He quietly took the piece of paper and rolled it into a ball before slipping it into his jacket pocket.

"Manjyome-san."

Manjyome didn't recognize this new voice and turned around with his normal scowl. "San… -da?" His tone and expression changed when he realized he was standing before two tall men dressed in dark suits. They seemed familiar enough to be chauffeurs for the rich.

"Sir," said one of the men, "we're here to take you home. Your family's worried about you."

"So worried, that they got _you_ to pick me up," muttered Manjyome with a grimace. He then glanced back at the boy in red. "You're gonna be alright, then?"

Judai shrugged. "It's not every day you run for your life from a burning volcano… But I'll try. …And you?"

"I'll give you a call if and when I can," said Manjyome as coldly as he could.

"Well then… This is it, I guess. …Goodbye, Sanda." Judai then extended his hand.

Manjyome took it and gave it a good shake. "Heh Took you long enough to say that."

He couldn't really say goodbye; he just let go of Judai's hand and slowly limped away with the two suited men by his side.

.

Elsewhere, Sho sat with Misawa and Kenzan, keeping each other company. He never would have expected to hear the familiar voice of his older brother calling him.

"Sho! …Sho, where are you!? Sho!"

"…Onii-san?" blinked Sho in surprise. He then jumped to his feet and looked around.

One could only imagine his surprise and joy, when he saw that his brother Ryo was there looking for him. He was almost hard to recognize without his old Obelisk Blue uniform on; instead he was dressed in a gray coat. But it was Ryo alright; no one could mistake that dark teal hair or those matching teal eyes.

"Oni-san!" cheered Sho. His friends looked on with warm smiles as the short Ra Yellow charged his brother with open arms.

Ryo took to a knee before wrapping his own arms around his little brother. "Sho… Oh, thank God you're alright," he sighed. "When I saw the news, I just couldn't believe it!"

"I know… I know, Nii-san." Sho was close to shedding tears.

"We're going home right now," whispered Ryo. "Come on, let's go."

Once Ryo stood back up, Sho gave his friends one last look and a wave goodbye before parting ways with them.

..

Judai would be able to say goodbye to all his friends before even considering looking for his own family. They would have been there by now, but leaving to him felt like leaving one world for another. And in fact, that's exactly what was happening. Everyone left Duel Academy Island that night, for the very last time. It was really getting to him.

After parting ways with Misawa, then Rei, then finally Kenzan, Judai was feeling lonelier than ever. He may have felt better if the spirit of Winged Kuriboh was there… but it wasn't. Remembering the loss of the card made something inside of him die all over again.

Then suddenly, he heard the sweetest voice his ears ever heard. "Judai? …Judai!"

"Mom?" he muttered before looking behind him.

Seeing the woman with pulled back hair as rusty brown as his, he was suddenly overcome with bittersweet joy. And like Sho before him, he started to shed tears of joy before giving his mother a firm, warm hug. Except Judai was practically sobbing; he knew nothing would ever be the same again.

..

Manjyome was feeling just as depressed as Judai, as he watched from the window of his stretch limo while passing families were reuniting and preparing to leave. They all looked so happy and relieved to be alive. And knowing where_he_ was going, Manjyome wished he were just as lucky as they were.

.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter:** "Family Issues"

**Featured Duel:** Manjyome Jun vs. Manjyome Chosaku


	3. Family Issues

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Three: "Family Issues"**

I

What was once a playground for Jun had now become a battlefield.

He couldn't believe it, but here he was marching toward the large dueling arena that was built for him as a child. This was where he would practice and sharpen his skills long before he entered Duel Academy. And this was one of his favorite places to be in the whole world.

Now, everything has changed; now he was dueling with a purpose, a very serious purpose. And to make matters worse, the opponent he was about to face off against was also his brother: Chosaku.

The second-oldest Manjyome brother, dressed in a fine suit and sporting a chiseled goatee, glared at his competition with a look of pride as if he had won this game already. He waited very patiently with a duel disk already strapped to his left arm as his younger sibling, dressed in his North School black jacket and donning his own duel disk, made his way to the arena.

When he at last stopped, Jun and Chosaku sized each other up. Then, they unleashed their disks' hard drives.

"DUEL!"

How did it ever come to this?

..

_Flashback: One week earlier…_

After a long, peaceful and dreamless sleep, Jun opened his eyes and was greeted by a fluffy feather pillow, unlike the rock-solid one he had back at the Osiris Red dorm. It was a wonder how he ever got any sleep back there.

His whole bed, in fact, was different; this one was perhaps wide enough for two people to fit in; the one he had just two nights before was small and often disturbed by uninvited Osiris students that would use it for a trampoline. He couldn't remember the last time he had such leg room…

He couldn't even remember it being so quiet in the morning. He was either woken up by the ear-piercing screech of a fog horn, or rolled out of bed by Judai or Sho, or even woken up by one of the little ghosts that constantly haunted him. But not this time; this time he was surrounded by silence… and it actually scared him a little.

Jun sat up quickly in bed, revealing his plain white T-shirt, and observed his surroundings. There was a chandelier on the ceiling, two bureaus that looked like they were chiseled out of ivory and lined in gold, and just on the opposite side of his king-sized bed was a huge entertainment center, packed with the largest television screen he had seen in years and equipped with the latest DVR and VCR systems.

That's when it hit him: he was no longer at school. He was home.

Just then, the door to his room opened up. Curious, Jun looked to see who was coming. It was an elderly gentleman with thin graying hair that couldn't reach the top of his brow and a matching grey mustache, dressed in a tuxedo complete with white gloves.

"Good morning, Master Jun," said he in a gentle voice and a thick English accent. "Slept well, I hope. Have you?"

This man was not alone; he was wheeling behind him a large silver cart that was decorated in plates and oval-shaped lids.

Still not over the shock of being there, Jun gulped. "…S-Sam? That you?"

The gentleman- a butler, obviously- replied, "Yes, sir. Welcome home."

He then proceeded to drive the cart around to the side of the bed on which Jun had slept. Then, he placed a small table right over the young man's legs, and on top of that he placed a covered plate. When he uncovered it, a puff of smoke was released, and with it the smell of scrambled eggs and toast. There was also two cups- one filled with milk, the other with orange juice. And this was just the first plate.

"Would you care for eggs this morning, sir, or perhaps pancakes?" asked Sam politely. When he didn't receive an answer, he motioned to the other plates on the tray; "French toast? Waffles?"

"No… No thanks. I'm not hungry, Sam." The truth was, he was famished; at that moment, his stomach let out a noisy moan. He blushed.

But Sam was an understanding man. "Perhaps you would like to make breakfast yourself then, sir?"

"Uhh… yeah," smiled the young man. Then he turned his attention to the plate before him and started to go into a state of deep thought.

"…Sam?"

"Yes, Master Jun?"

"How long has it been since I left this place to go to Duel Academy?"

"Three and a half years, almost to the day, sir."

"…It feels so much longer than that."

"Sir," wondered the butler, "are you not comfortable being home?"

Jun frowned sorrowfully, and began to talk softly as if to himself. "I just don't think it's right… I barely got out of there with my life, and here I am… getting the royal treatment."

"But sir, what happened on that island was not your fault. You shouldn't feel guilty at all."

"I know, Sam…" Then he sighed.

Sam then took back the plate of food, along with the small table, and put them both back on the silver cart. "Perhaps you just need a little more time, young sir. A walk around the mansion, perhaps, will make you feel more at home."

"Yeah," muttered Jun. "Maybe…"

"Very well then," nodded the kindly old butler. He then steered the wheeled cart around as he said, "If you need anything, young Master, I'll be right-"

"Don't."

"….Sir?"

Jun cocked his head over to Sam and said, "Don't… call me Master, okay? You don't have to do that anymore, Sam."

"Sir?" blinked the butler, confused.

"It's okay… You can just call me Jun. No 'Master,' no 'Sir;' just Jun."

"Very well, Ma- Jun." Again, he did as he was told. Only this time, he was starting to feel far less like a servant. He then left the young man alone once again, to let him clear his thoughts.

..

No one could have expected just how much of an impact the island's destruction had on Jun, until the day after his return to his widespread estate.

That morning, a maid was walking down the stairs with a clothes basket that was overflowing with dirty clothes. She couldn't see anything beyond the dirty laundry, and she could have easily missed a step on the staircase. Then suddenly, two small hands grabbed the other side of the basket.

"I got that," said Jun.

"Are you sure, Master Jun?" blinked the young maid.

The young man gritted his teeth as he took the full weight of the basket. "Yeah, no problem!" he smiled. He nearly missed a step on the staircase, but eventually he succeeded in taking the laundry down to the laundry room for the grateful maid.

.

Soon afterwards, Jun accidentally spilt food in the kitchen. Just when a butler went to grab the nearest clean cloth and bent down on one knee, Jun appeared with a mop, claiming, "It's okay! I got it!" And just like that, the young "Master" cleaned up his own mess.

.

Later that afternoon, the hired gardener was in the middle of trimming a rose bush. He was completely caught by surprise when he glanced around and there stood Jun right behind him.

"Uh, young Master?" blinked the sweat-beaded gardener.

Jun just gave him a smile. "That looks like fun. Can I try it?"

"If you wish," said the gentleman. He then gave Jun a pair of gloves and scissors for pruning the leaves.

As the two of them went to work in the entire garden, Jun's grandmother looked on through the window of one of the second floor rooms. She watched with a look of great concern in her eyes.

..

That evening, Jun and his grandmother sat in at a dining room table long enough to seat twenty people. They were peacefully enjoying their soup, when Jun decided to get up from his chair.

"Where are you going?" asked his grandmother.

"I'm just gonna go get the salt," he replied, knowing the salt shaker was nearly ten feet away.

That was the last straw. "Jun," she said sternly, "I'd appreciate it if you let the butlers handle these things. It's what we pay them for, you know."

"I'm sorry gra'ma," frowned Jun, "but when I was at Duel Academy, I learned how to take care of myself. I really don't need somebody else to get the salt for me."

"But dear, you're home now. Things are different here; you're not a commoner anymore."

Jun gulped. "I… Being a commoner's not that bad, gra'ma."

His grandmother frowned sternly. "I am truly sorry for what happened to that place, Jun, but you were put there for a very specific reason: to become the greatest duelist in the world. Your brothers have made a huge investment in your stay there. Tell me, have you learned nothing these past few years except to 'take care of yourself?'"

"Gra'ma…" He felt insulted.

"You still want to be a duelist, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Good. Your brothers will be glad to hear that."

Jun gulped again, this time with worry. "Why should I care about how they feel? They disowned me."

"You know better than that, Jun. We would never abandon you. Shouji and Chosaku have agreed to take you into their personal care."

"What!?"

"We've discussed it earlier, and it's been settled."

"But gra'ma, you never discussed this with me!"

"You forget that I am your legal guardian. No one is more acquired to know what's good for you than I."

Jun finally sat down in his chair, feeling defeated. His mouth gaped open in surprise.

His grandmother wiped her lips clean with a napkin. "It's for the best, my dear. You're going to remember what being a Manjyome really means."

He hung his head. How could he ever forget what being a Manjyome means?

..

II

_Present Day_

**Chosaku: 8000 LP**

**Jun: 8000 LP**

"I'll start this turn. Draw!" said Chosaku harshly.

He observed the six cards in his hand carefully, then took out three.

"I'll play the Spell card Fusion, then fuse Lord of Dragons with Ragnarok Dragon, to form King Dragoon!"

Jun cringed as his brother's signature move went into play; King Dragoon emerged with the head of a human and the body of an oriental behemoth.

**King Dragoon: 2300 ATK**

"And as you know," smirked Chosaku, "King Dragoon has a few effects. Firstly, he protects all Dragons on my field from any Spells or Traps that may target them. Also, I can special summon any Dragon from my hand one at a time. So I'll take this priority to special summon Tyrant Dragon!"

**Tyrant Dragon: 2900 ATK**

Then Chosaku took the fourth card from his hand. "And just in case you're planning something, I'll use my Normal Summon priority to summon Mirage Dragon. While it's on the field, you can't trigger any Traps during the Battle Phase."

**Mirage Dragon: 1600 ATK**

"That's all I'll do for now. End turn." Chosaku smirked, thinking he had his little brother completely locked.

But Jun was about to turn things around. "My turn… draw."

He couldn't believe his eyes; everything he could ever ask for was right there, in his hand. "Oh Nii-san," he grinned, "I hope your Dragons got their bags packed…"

"What?" gasped Chosaku in disbelief. "What do you mean by that?"

"You may have saved them from target effects, but not non-target effects!" Jun whipped out his first card. "I play Lightning Vortex! This Spell makes me discard something from my hand, but in return, it destroys all your face-up monsters!"

"No… No way!"

"Go, Lightning Vortex!" On command, a giant thunderbolt shot out of the holographic version of the Spell card, burning the dragons to dust.

"My dragons…" gasped Chosaku.

"It gets worse," warned Jun. "That card I discarded? Well, it just happened to be Ojamagic. And, whenever it's sent to the Graveyard, its effect automatically activates. Now I can move one copy of each Ojama brother from my deck, and add them to my hand."

"Wait. Say that again?"

"Let me explain it in Lamens Terms: Ojamagic checks-out, Ojamas check-in!"

Within seconds, Jun's four-card hand had suddenly become a seven-card hand. Delighted with this move, the Ojama duel spirits appeared giggling.

"Let me get this straight," rolled Chosaku's eyes; "you went through all that trouble just to pull out three 0-Attack-point weaklings?"

"You've got a lot to learn, Chosaku. What these guys lack in brute force, they more than make up for in card combos! Like this, for example: I play Fusion! You know what this does…"

"You're going to trade in those sokas for a Fusion monster?"

"Don't call them that! …And yes. Meet their Fusion form: Ojama King!"

**Ojama King: 3000 DEF**

Chosaku's eyes bulged at the sight of a hideous beast shaped and colored like a giant egg, with small chubby limbs and antennae-like red eyes. "Oh my. I'm so scared now that you've summoned Humpty-Dumpty!"

"Laugh all you want, Nii-san," hissed Jun; "but this bad boy's got an effect: While he's on the field, I can choose up to three of your Monster Zones and keep you from using them! Which means now you'll only be allowed to summon up to two monsters."

"That still doesn't scare me."

"Maybe that doesn't… But perhaps this might."

Jun then pulled another card from his hand, shrinking his card count down to two.

"I pay 1000 Life Points to play Ojamandala!"

**Jun: 7000 LP**

"Ojama-whatta?"

"Oja-man-dala! It lets me summon my Ojama brothers from the Graveyard."

**Ojamas Yellow, Green, and Black: 0 ATK**

One by one, the little mutants stood proudly on the battlefield.

"Now things get _really_ interesting," grinned Jun. He then pulled the second-to-last card from his hand. "I play my second Fusion card!"

"No! You had TWO of those!?" gaped Chosaku.

"Lucky draw, eh bro?" smirked Jun. "Now guess what happens. Another Ojama King comes into play…"

**Ojama King: 0 ATK**

"…And now that I have two on the field, guess what! All your Monster Zones are rendered completely useless!"

Chosaku growled in frustration. Once he had a lineup of dragons; now he had nothing.

The Ojama Kings, meanwhile, decided to humor themselves.

"You, my friend, are a very handsome man!"

"Thank you! I was just about to say the same thing to you!"

"Alright," sighed Jun, "now onto business." He then held up his very last card.

Chosaku cringed. "Don't tell me you're gonna play another Ojama card."

"No," smiled the younger Manjyome, "but you're gonna wish I did. I play the Spell card Grand Shield. This is an Equip-Spell that I'll attach to the Ojama King in Attack mode. And what it does is it switches my monster's Attack and Defense points, so that what was now 3000 Defense is now 3000 Attack!"

**Ojama King: 3000 ATK**

Chosaku's eye started to twitch. "This… can't be happening!"

"Oh, but it is! Ojama King, attack!" hollered Jun.

Chosaku stood helplessly and awestruck as "Humpty-Dumpty" came bouncing his way and made a huge belly-flop on top of him.

"AUGH-" **SPLAT!**

**Chosaku: 5000 LP**

The crash caused a small puff of smoke, and as it cleared, Ojama King went bouncing back to Jun's side of the field.

Chosaku was so stunned by the attack that he stayed on the ground for a few seconds more. "…That was… beyond embarrassing," he moaned.

"You're lucky I just played my last card," replied Jun. "Now I have no choice but to end my turn."

"Fine then," grumbled the older Manjyome as he got back on his feet. "My move. Draw!"

Chosaku observed the two cards in his hand. "I play the Spell Graceful Charity. This lets me draw three cards; then, I'll have to send two cards from my hand to the Graveyard."

Jun knew what that meant; that would leave his older brother with two new cards.

Chosaku proceeded with his move. "I'll send Emerald Dragon and Sapphire Dragon to the Graveyard."

Jun smirked. "Not much else you can do, eh big brother?"

"Don't celebrate your victory just yet, Ototo-chan," warned Chosaku. "I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

Jun glared cautiously at the set card in Chosaku's Spell and Trap Zone. "My move," announced Jun…

..

_Flashback: Four days earlier…_

Though Jun was hardly comfortable with his older brothers playing the role of guardians, his first few days with them seemed normal enough. He was pleased to have gotten mail from old friends, including one from Edogawa, the principal of North Academy, sharing his condolences for the loss of Duel Academy.

These letters gave the young man a bit of comfort and peace, although he wouldn't be alone. His brothers had at least one of their servants watching over him, in almost every single room, as if they were waiting for him to commit some kind of crime. But that was normal; Jun had always been supervised as a child.

.

Things started to change when he first tried to contact his schoolmates.

It started when he decided to get some fresh air and leave the mansion. He pulled his brand new motorcycle (not to be confused with the one he escaped the island on) up to the main gates of the manor, which were sealed shut. Thinking he knew the password to open them, he typed in a code on a small computer by the lock. But it didn't seem to work. Confused, the teen tried again. Still, it failed.

He had to drag himself and his new motorbike all the way back to the mansion, where he would explain his dilemma to older brother Shouji.

Shouji was at the dinner table eating lunch when Jun approached him.

"Nii-san?" he muttered. "What the new password to open the front gate?"

"Why do you want to know?" replied Shouji.

"I've been meaning to go out and try to meet some friends," answered Jun.

"Friends?" responded the older Manjyome in surprise. "I thought you were above friendship, Jun-kun. You've said so yourself that you don't need anyone to hold you back."

"I've changed, Shouji," admitted Jun. "I've met some guys at Duel Academy that I've gotten to know really well, and I… well, I… kinda miss them."

His brother then looked his way. He paused, trying to come up with an intelligent response, then finally he said, "Well, alright. The password is 'T.A.I.Y.O.U.'"

Jun smiled. "Thanks, Shouji-niisan." Then he left the room before Shouji could give a knowing smirk.

Jun then went back outside, this time by himself and without the bike, to see if it would work. But to his surprise, the letters that Shouji gave him wouldn't budge the gate open. He stomped his foot in frustration; then he gave a gasp. He realized that his own brother had lied to him!

Jun's suspicions stayed with him throughout the day, even after he told Shouji that he couldn't open the door and his brother's poor excuse was, "There must be a glitch in the security system."

..

Within the next two days, things were starting to get worse. First, he started to notice that he wasn't receiving any more mail; and stranger yet was the fact that his own personal letters were being intercepted by Chosaku and Shouji's servants. Also, all phone calls were automatically redirected to Chosaku's or Shouji's personal phones. Once or twice Jun had tried to catch a call, but each time he did he received an operator's message: "Your call is being transferred."

Jun's suspicions were getting the better of him by the end of the week; he had to know what his brothers are up to. He then decided to spy on them, just as their servants had been spying on him.

During one evening in particular, just one day before his inevitable duel with older brother Chosaku, Jun tiptoed across the hallway of the fourth floor, toward Shouji's room. No one was ever allowed in there unless Shouji paged assistance. However, he always seemed to have the door cracked open- for air, perhaps.

Jun seized the opportunity to use the cracked open door to his advantage. Once the coast was clear, he leaned forward. From the crack in the door, he could see that his gray-haired brother was sitting at a desk, talking to someone on his laptop through the Internet. His voice was soft, but clear.

"Yes, your grace, we still have him. I know you've been wanting to meet him for some time now. When can you arrive? …If it's no trouble, Madam, I'd say as soon as possible. I think he's starting to get suspect something's wrong…"

Jun wanted to hear more, but then he felt a tap on the shoulder coming from an old annoyance. "_Manjyome no Aniki?"_ peeped the ghost of Ojama Yellow.

"Not now," Jun shrugged him off. "I'm busy."

"_But Aniki,"_ frowned Yellow in worry.

"Be quiet," whispered Jun. "I'm trying to listen."

Yellow started to whimper; he knew someone was coming up right behind them!

Finally, Jun turned around. "What? What do you want, Ojam-AUGH!"

Chosaku glared down at Jun, looking furious. "Jun-kun? What are you doing here?"

Jun's eyes widened and his mouth gaped. "I- I… Uh… I…"

"Don't tell me you lost your way," Chosaku crossed his arms and started to tap his foot. "Why are you spying on Shouji?"

"Uh…"

Suddenly, Ojama Black appeared before him. _"Ask him why_they've_been spying on_you_!"_

Then Ojama Green appeared._"Yeah! Tell 'em you've had enough and you want out of here!"_

Suddenly, Shouji's door swung open. The gray-haired Manjyome gasped, "What's going on out here!?"

"_Tell them, Aniki!"_ said Green and Black.

Jun glanced back and forth at his two domineering brothers. "Uh… I… I just want to leave this place once in a while. I can't stay in here forever… I feel like a caged animal!"

"_Yeah!"_ cheered the ghostly Ojamas. _"Tell 'em! Keep it up!"_

"A caged animal?" gasped Shouji. "Really, Jun, you're just paranoid is all."

Chosaku added, "We're still as shocked about Duel Academy as you are, Ototo-chan. We're only trying to protect you."

"Protect me…? From what? The mailman?"

The Ojama ghosts giggled at the joke.

Manjyome narrowed his eyes and whispered, "It wasn't that funny, you guys."

"We're not laughing," commented Chosaku sternly.

Shouji, meanwhile, looked concern. "Are you feeling alright, Ototo-chan? You look… distracted."

"I'm fine," denied Jun, as he tried to swat the Ojama spirits away. "I just don't see why keeping me in this house is supposed to be good for me."

Chosaku tried to explain, "It's only been a few days, Jun. Once we've all settled in, things will back to normal. I promise."

"So then you'll tell me how to unlock the front gate? And tell me where all my mail went? And stop sending servants to follow me around?"

"Really Jun," commented Shouji, "After all those years of being stuffed in a shack with all those losers, forced to eat fish and rice every day, I'm surprised you're not jumping for joy now that you're back here."

"Yes," nodded Chosaku. "Here you're waited on hand and foot, you can eat anything you want, and sleep in all day. You've got the life, Ototo-chan!"

"_But what he really needs is to HAVE a life!"_ shouted the ghostly Ojama Green, who suddenly popped up again.

"_Yeah!"_ growled Ojama Black. _"Lemmie at 'em! Lemmie at 'em! I'll show these stuffed shirts a thing or two!"_

Jun held his ears and moaned, trying as hard as he could not to hear the sharp, high-pitched voices of his duel spirits.

"Jun," blinked Shouji in concern. "What's wrong?"

"Have you got a headache?" asked Chosaku.

"BOTH OF YOU SHUT UP!"

He really meant for the bickering spirits to shut up, but it seemed as though only Shouji and Chosaku heard it. Jun paused, stunned in realizing what a terrible mistake he just made. His brothers, meanwhile, stared at him in shock.

"…I'll go back to my room now." And with that, Jun left a trail of smoke as he dashed across the hall, while his brothers remained in shock.

..

III

_Flashback: Earlier today…_

There was still one outlet that Jun's brothers didn't count on, and that was his very own laptop. With the gates locked and all the phones taken, this was his last key to the outside world.

That morning, he received an email from Judai that a small group of his former classmates were going in town to the museum. Curious about the trip, Manjyome emailed him back; telling him to make sure someone would have Internet connection there, so that he could see it through the eyes of his computer. Only one such former student of Duel Academy had such technology, and that was Misawa. Fortunately for Manjyome, Misawa was among those going. It all seemed too easy.

.

Within hours, Manjyome logged on to his account and connected to the appropriate system, where he would "meet" with Misawa. Misawa, meanwhile, did his best not to move too quickly or else make Manjyome dizzy while he watched through an I-camera as the group walked down the halls.

Things got interesting when the former Duel Academy students decided to take a break from their walking. It was a perfect time for Misawa, Judai, Sho, Kenzan and Asuka to talk, while a virtual Manjyome listened in carefully. Also present were some of Asuka's gal pals, including Momoe, Junko, and the small blue-haired Rei.

Misawa sat at a conveniently placed bench in a square while the others gathered nearby. "Isn't it funny," mused Misawa, "how so many ancient cultures seem to have so much in common? For instance, look at all the pyramids found around the world."

"And the myth about dragons being so universal," mused the nearby Asuka.

"I say they're all dinosaurs," smiled Kenzan proudly nearby.

"You've missed the point," attacked Sho beside him.

"What point?" asked the dino-fanatic.

_"The point is,"_ explained virtual Manjyome, _"there could be some fact underneath the myths. We already know the tie between Ancient Egypt and Duel Monsters. What they've worshipped then, we summon today."_

"That reminds me," replied Misawa, "I've been doing a lot of thinking… about Duel Academy Island."

"What about it?" asked a nearby Judai.

Misawa answered, "Why did Kaiba Seto pick that island, of all places, to build the school? Didn't he know that the volcano was dangerous?"

_"Nobody knew,"_ replied virtual Manjyome. _"They all expected it to go off in like, a hundred years from now."_

"That's just it," said Misawa with a frown. "There was something unnatural about that eruption, and I just can't put my finger on it."

The red-headed Junko then stepped forward, with her arms crossed and her eyes heavy with sorrow. "Can we talk about something else, please? I'd hate to be reminded of all the people that died there."

_"Wait, Junko,"_ pleaded virtual Manjyome. _"I need to say something about that night. Judai?"_

"Hmm?" hummed the brunette nearby.

_"Have you told anybody what we saw in the forest that night?"_

"…No. I haven't."

_"Well we should mention the hole we saw out there!"_

"What hole?" asked a curious Misawa.

Virtual Manjyome explained, _"There was a giant hole, and… Wait. You guys are not gonna believe this."_

"Believe what, Manjyome-kun?" asked Asuka as she leaned in for a better view of the computer screen.

_"…There was a giant hole in the earth. I've been thinking about it, a lot… I thought it was just another fissure made by the earthquake. But it was there, right where the old well used to be. And… There was a light glowing from deep inside it."_

"A light?" gulped Misawa. "What kind of light?"

_"Judai,"_ pleaded virtual Manjyome. _"Tell me you remember it…"_

Judai blinked, trying hard to remember, and at the same time, trying hard to forget. "…Gokaido. He… …Wait. I remember it. There was a light! It was really small, but it was there! It happened for like a split second!"

"You guys aren't making much sense," frowned Asuka.

Then virtual Manjyome elaborated. _"It's complicated, but I think there was something incredibly special about that island. Kaiba-san must have sensed it too. I think he-"_

Then suddenly, in one flicker, Manjyome's image on Misawa's laptop was gone.

"M- Manjyome-kun?" blinked Misawa in surprise.

"Where did he go?" gasped Judai in concern.

_._

"Nii-san!?" blurted out a startled Jun. He watched as Cosaku ripped the laptop out from his hands and slammed it shut. "Why… What did you do that for!?"

Chosaku looked at him with cold eyes. "I don't expect you to understand, Jun-kun, but I can't have you speaking of what you saw that night."

The younger Manjyome tensed. "How do you know what I saw?"

"I know about them too, Ototo-chan. …About your little spirit friends. I can't see them, but I know they're there. Shouji knows it, too."

He took a step back like a man facing an oncoming train. "Nii-san… You're scaring me."

"I've kept you in this mansion for your own good, and all I've asked in return is for you to cooperate!"

"But you're not telling me anything! …God, Chosaku, all I want to do is go outside and see my friends! Is that so wrong!?"

Chosaku paused.

"I'll keep my mouth shut if that's what you want! Please… just let me outside. Once."

"…Tell you what. You like playing Duel Monsters, right? Why don't we make a special bargain then? You and I will have our own duel, in one hour. If you win, I'll let you leave the mansion. But if I win, you have to stay here and do as you're told, no questions asked. Agreed?"

A duel? One simple duel would change everything? It was almost too good to be true, and entirely impossible to pass up. Jun nodded his head in agreement. The duel was on.

_.._

_Present time_

**Chosaku: 5000 LP**

**Jun: 7000 LP**

Jun had just drawn his new card on this, his second turn of the game. Already, he had been dominating the board with two Monster Zone-locking Ojama Kings- one of which was equipped with Grand Shield, making it stand at a formidable 3000 Attack Points.

But there was a problem: Now Chosaku had a card set face-down in his Spell and Trap Zone. And knowing Chosaku, it was without a doubt, a Trap.

Perhaps the one and only card in Jun's hand would turn things around.

"I play Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards."

Now he held two new cards, and smiled at them. "I'll play the Spell De-Fusion, on the Ojama King in Defense Mode. This lets me replace him with the original Ojamas."

**Ojamas Yellow. Black and Green: 1000 DEF**

"Miss us?" they cheered.

"Not hardly," glared their opponent. "Now what do you plan to do, little brother?"

"I won't risk running my Ojama King into that Trap of yours," replied Jun, "So I'm going to simply wipe it out… with this card! I play Ojama Delta Hurricane!"

Chosaku gasped; he was already familiar with this card.

But Jun insisted on explaining the rules anyway. "You remember what this does? This Spell can only be played when I have the three Ojama Brothers on the field. Now they can erase any and all cards on your field. Go, Ojama Delta Hurricane!"

Ojama Black bounced forward; then, gave his younger siblings a boost into the air before leaping himself. The three of them then grabbed arms in mid-air, and started to spin, faster and faster… until they had created a colorful tornado.

The tornado headed straight for Chosaku's Trap card… which was not going to trouble him one bit.

"Trap card open: Ring of Destruction!"

Jun's eyes bulged. "Oh, no! Not _that_ one!"

"Yes," grinned Chosaku, "That one! Now, I'll use it to destroy your Ojama King, and let the two of us take damage according to his Attack Points!"

**Chosaku: 2000 LP**

**Jun: 4000 LP**

Jun shielded his face from the blowing wind. "You're only hurting yourself, Nii-san!"

"Wrong," replied Chosaku. "You've got nothing left but those three puny sokas now."

"They're _not_ sokas!" growled Jun furiously. "They're kind, resourceful, innocent, and have done more for me than- WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!?"

Jun was in the middle of what was to be a pro-Ojama rant, when his attention turned to the Ojamas in question. To his shock and embarrassment, they were all dancing idiotically, shaking their butts and singing (badly) amongst themselves.

"Stop that!" screamed their Aniki, startling them. "You stupid small fries are embarrassing me. Now shuddup and get back to Defense Mode!"

"Sorry, Aniki."

Chosaku couldn't help but laugh. "…Are you finished yet?"

"Uh… Y-yeah. I guess. Yes. I end my turn,"

"Finally," replied Chosaku coldly. "Draw!" He examined his two cards well, and started to snicker.

Jun narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny?"

"Actually," replied Chosaku, "There is nothing funny about this. It truly is a shame, knowing that you've put so much effort into this duel… just to lose."

"What are you talking about? Look at the field! Even if you do summon a monster this turn, it won't be touching my Life Points. And even if it did, I'd still be in the lead by 2000!"

Chosaku paused. This time, he was frowning sincerely.

"You're bluffing," hissed Jun. "I know you are…"

"No, little brother, this is not a bluff. This is actual fact: You're going to lose. …I play the Spell card: Dragon's Mirror!"

"Dragon's Mirror…?"

"You know what this does, don't you Jun?"

"Yes… You remove from the field or Graveyard any Dragons that may be required for a Dragon Fusion monster… But Chosaku, none of your dragons can fuse together!"

"You're wrong again. You see, Jun, I have six Dragons in my Graveyard: Ragnarok Dragon, King Dragoon, Tyrant Dragon, Mirage Dragon, Sapphire Dragon, and Emerald Dragon. But allow me to explain this: the monster I'm about to Fusion summon doesn't need any specific Dragon. Just a random five will do."

"A random five?"

"Yes. Now, I'll remove all but Dragoon from my Grave…"

So it was done.

"Now feast your eyes, Jun-kun, on the mightiest monster in the whole game! The legendary Five God Dragon!"

**FOOM!**

A holographic explosion appeared in Chosaku's center of the Monster Zone, cuing the arrival of a mega-sized behemoth sporting five heads, each one made of a different element. The sight of it made Jun's hands shiver in fear.

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Where… Where did you get that card?" asked the trembling Jun.

"Where, indeed," replied the older Manjyome. "It shouldn't surprise you, Jun; I've invested a lot of my own personal savings just to get the best cards in the game. You may be the true duelist in the family, but you're not the richest. Now watch as I show you what true power is. I play my last card: Raigeki!"

Chosaku unleashed his Spell on Jun's Monster Zone, which eliminated all of his Ojamas with one devastating lightning bolt.

"NO!" screamed Jun in horror. He was wide open for an attack now.

"It's all over… Five God Dragon, attack!" commanded Chosaku.

Five dragon head-shaped forces of nature wailed on the smaller Manjyome, pulverizing the last of his Life Points.

**Jun: 0 LP**

**Chosaku: 2000 LP -Winner**

He then collapsed onto his knees and doubled over; he was not in pain, but he was surely devastated.

"No…" He felt like crying; he didn't just lose the duel. He lost his freedom.

Chosaku, meanwhile, walked up to him nonchalantly. "…You hate me now, don't you?" he asked. "You think I enjoy locking you in this house? You think I enjoyed that victory? …Well, there's a lot more going on here than you realize, Jun-kun."

Jun then lifted his head to look Chosaku in the face. "Then why don't you tell me?"

"Everything will become clear, but in its own time." Then Chosaku took to one knee to be at Jun's humble level. "You have to trust me and Shouji on this, Ototo-chan. It's all for your own good."

"I…" he wanted to lash out at his older brother, just for crushing him at his own game. But he couldn't. He lost the bet. "…I guess I have no choice."

"I can tell you this much: we've invited someone to help train you in becoming an even better duelist- the best in the whole world. Then, not even a Five God Dragon could beat you. Isn't that what you really want?"

Jun was silent, but visibly shaken.

Chosaku did his best to comfort the younger Manjyome by petting his full head of hair. "It's gonna be alright, Jun-kun… Now let's get ready for dinner, shall we?"

Jun didn't get to his feet until his brother left the dueling field. At that moment, the Ojama spirits came to him, having their hands folded as if begging for forgiveness.

"_We're so sorry, Aniki."_

"It's not your fault," he whispered to them.

Chosaku, who wasn't too far, heard him say this. But decided not to impose and left Jun alone… in a matter of speaking, of course.

_.._

Judai and his band of friends were walking through a park that afternoon, discussing the issues that were left unsettled, particularly the issue regarding Manjyome.

Misawa, glancing down at his closed laptop under his arm, looked puzzled. "It's not like Manjyome-kun to just disappear like that. My guess is that he had a bad connection."

"I don't know," frowned Judai, looking suspicious. "Something's going on here. First we hardly hear from him-"

"He's probably just too busy for us," replied Asuka. "Being rich and all."

"That's not it," shook Judai's head. "He doesn't call, he doesn't even write us, and now all of a sudden his computer's not working? …No, you guys. Something's going on in that house."

Judai then stopped at the corner and looked toward the domineering Manjyome mansion atop a hill in the far off distance.

"And I'm gonna find out what it is."

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Chapter: **Stealing His Thunder**

Featured Duels: None


	4. Stealing His Thunder

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Four: "Stealing His Thunder"**

I

"…Come on, Sho, we're all dying to see it!" cried out Judai's voice.

At the Marufuji house, everyone waited to see what Sho had received in the mail over the weekend. In the living room were his blue-haired parents, his brother Ryo, his best friends Judai and Kenzan, and the Tenjoins Asuka and Fubuki.

Sho was upstairs, preparing the special surprise. "Alright, guys. Here I come."

As he made his way down the stairs, all eyes gleamed with wonder and joy. Here he was, the smallest of Duel Academy's students, donned in a regal Obelisk Blue uniform which came in a package the other day, courtesy of the surviving staff of Duel Academy. The room filled with "Oohs" and "Ahhs." And one soft "Aww," coming from Mrs. Marufuji.

Sho blushed. "You think it fits me?"

"Like a glove!" smiled Big Bro Judai. "I just wish you'd have gotten that uniform sooner."

"Yeah," nodded Fubuki in a corner. "Obelisk Blue would've loved to have you."

Then Sho glanced toward the tall young man on the couch. "Oniisan? You like it?"

Ryo replied with his usual deep tone, "It looks nice." One could say he was happy for his little brother, but Ryo hardly ever made a true smile. Smiling just wasn't his thing, and Sho knew that.

Sho gave his brother a genuine smile. "Thanks, nii-san."

"I would've loved to see Chronos-saurus' face if he ever saw that uniform on you!" said Kenzan who curled up on the floor. "You remember how he always taunted us underclassmen?"

"Remember?" narrowed Sho's pale blue eyes. "It gave me nightmares!" Then Sho got into character with his own mock-up version of Professor Chronos: "Drop-out boys don't belong in this school, no! Only the Obelisks are worthy, are they not?"

Then Judai chimed in in. "Yuki Judai, report to the principal's office for no good reason, yes!"

"Detention for all of you-saurus! …I mean, yes."

Everyone started to laugh, even the oblivious parents.

Then came a sorrowful sigh from Asuka, who stood near her brother in the corner. Fubuki picked up on it quickly; "I know, sis… I miss that place too."

The mood was quickly changed with a sudden rap at the front door.

"Coming!" cheered Mrs. Marufuji. When she opened the door, she was met with a young man with dark combed back hair with white streaks on the sides. "Oh, hello! You must be-"

"Misawa Daichi, ma'am," he said with a courteous bow. "I came here to see… Sho!?" Misawa's eyes bulged with shock upon seeing his smallest friend donned in blue.

"Hi," waved the would-be Obelisk.

Judai approached the doorway. "Hey, Misawa! What brings you here?"

Still stunned by Sho's Obelisk blazer, Misawa stuttered, "I… uh… Well I… uh, may I come in?"

"Sure," welcomed Mrs. Marufuji. "Come on in."

Misawa paused to get himself settled in. "I didn't realize you were all here; I tried calling you at your houses. I just thought you should all know that the Manjyome Group is holding a press conference right now!"

"Manjyome?" gasped Asuka.

"Yes," nodded Misawa. "From what I've heard, they've been trying to buy out Duel Island!"

"What?" Judai's mouth gaped. "But why?"

Ryo added, "And what does Kaiba Seto have to say about that?"

Misawa replied, "Apparently, both groups are at war now. Here, turn on the TV and you'll see for yourselves!"

With that, the former Ra Yellow rushed over to the television in the room and turned it on, then shuffled the channels over to the right one. There, in front of everyone's eyes, appeared a large podium within the Manjyome residence, with dozens of cameras rolling, cameras flashing, and reporters gathered in mass.

"_We're coming to you live from inside the Manjyome manor, where Minister of Justice Manjyome Chosaku is about to tell us all about his family's ultimate plans for Duel Island. For reasons unknown, the Manjyome Group has recently had many private meetings with Kaiba Seto himself, and now it looks like they may have settled their business deal…"_

_._

At that very press conference, Minister Manjyome Chosaku stepped forward to the microphones in the center of the podium.

"Thank you all for coming," said he. "As you all know or may have heard, my family and I have tried to buy out as much of Duel Island as we could from Kaiba Corp. I've just been informed that we have finally settled on the matter. As of this moment, we The Manjyome Group, now own fifty percent of the island."

He let the reporters catch their breath before we went on to say, "As soon as possible, we will begin the massive cleanup of Duel Academy itself. This also means recovering the lost and missing that were unfortunately left behind."

"Minister Manjyome-san!" blurted out the voice of a female reporter. "What is the meaning of this takeover of Duel Island? Are you going to try and rebuild the school?"

Chosaku took the question with stride. "There are no plans of rebuilding Duel Academy. In fact, once we've finished with cleaning up all the destruction left behind by the volcano, we will make it our goal to return the island back to its former state- a paradise, long before Kaiba decided to stamp his capitol on it."

"Minister-san, is there some kind of bitter rivalry going on with your family and Kaiba Corp.?" came a male voice in the audience.

"Kaiba had good intentions when he decided to make a training school for hopeful duelists. However, we- my family and I- were never quite comfortable with sending our youngest member on an island that came equipped with an active volcano."

"But there were hundreds of scientists that said the island was safe."

"Well, they were wrong, weren't they? Look what happened!"

There was a moment of silence before Chosaku went on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, there are forces in this world which should never be tampered with, and this is a prime example of such forces. Now, we were among the lucky ones- my little brother survived. But what about those families who are suffering the loss of their loved ones, all because of one man's lust for power? Why should they be paying for Kaiba's ignorance?"

.

Meanwhile, backstage, Shouji and Jun Manjyome looked on.

Jun, dressed up in a light grey suit and looking as conservative as his brothers, watched with a concerned look on his face. Then he whispered to Shouji, "What happened on that island wasn't really Kaiba-san's fault."

To which Shouji muttered back, "Can't stop him now; he's on a roll."

Then they heard their sibling ask the press, "Would anyone now like to speak to my brother Jun?"

Jun gulped upon hearing the loud response from the press.

"Now's your chance Jun," nodded Shouji. "Go on; your public awaits."

Jun loosened the grip his necktie had on his neck before walking out onto the podium.

"Manjyome-san! Manjyome-san!" The words overlapped each other as the littlest Manjyome made his way to the microphones.

.

"Look, there's Manjyome-kun!" cheered Judai from the Marufuji house. "…He looks so small!"

.

"Manjyome-san!" yelled out one reporter. "Tell us how you feel!"

Jun bit his lip. "…I just… wanna say how sorry I am for all those families out there who lost their children."

"Manjyome-san, do you blame Kaiba Corp. for what happened?"

"N-no. I do not."

"Are you going to pursue your dream of becoming a duelist, or are you considering quitting?"

"…I can see why some would want to quit, after what we've gone through on the island… But not me. No, I'm going to keep trying to make the Pro League, even if it means transferring to a new school."

"What about your friends and classmates? Have you heard anything from them since the incident?"

"…"

"Manjyome-san?"

"I… I miss my friends."

"Have you made contact with any of them?"

"…I wish… I mean… I want to…" His eyes started to glaze.

.

From the Marufuji residence, concerned glances were exchanged.

.

"One more question, Manjyome Jun," called out a different male reporter. "Could you confirm the rumors that the Manjyome Group plans to buy out Kaiba Corp?"

Jun's jaw may as well have dropped onto the floor. There was a brief moment of stunned silence before he finally uttered the words, "N-no comment."

Suddenly, Chosaku gently pushed his little brother to the side to take back the podium. "There is no plan to take over Kaiba Corp. I'll take a few more questions before we wrap this up."

.

Meanwhile, Jun and Shouji resettled behind the curtain.

Jun loosened up his tie all the more until it was halfway off. "How was I out there?"

"Good," nodded Shouji. "You did good."

Jun frowned skeptically. "Please don't tell me you guys are actually planning on buying out Kaiba-san's company. He's already up to his shoulders in lawsuits; why kick a man while he's down?"

"Don't worry about Kaiba, Ototo-chan; he's well taken care of. Trust me."

Jun wanted to believe him, but still had his doubts inside.

That's when Shouji heard these words from outside: "Minister-san," called out one reporter; "as a member of the Cabinet, is this venture a way for you to boost your popularity into becoming Prime Minister?"

"What!?" barked the grey-haired Manjyome. Before Chosaku could reply, Shouji came storming towards the podium. "That is an outrageous question! Only the Emperor himself can choose the Prime Minister! How dare-"

"Easy, brother, easy," soothed Chosaku. "It's a legitimate question."

"One you don't have to answer," muttered the visibly stressful Shouji.

But Chosaku kept his cool and responded to the press, "I'm sure His Excellency has been keeping his eye on us members of the Cabinet quite closely, but I can assure him and all of you that I have no intentions to raise my public status. I am just an average citizen concerned with the well-being of the surviving families of Duel Island. Trust me when I say this, ladies and gentlemen: my first priority is my family. Thank you, no more questions."

At that point, even Shouji looked impressed by Chosaku's mild manner.

..

"_There is still speculation as to how Kaiba Corp. was so willing to sell half of Duel Island, after making well over millions from the school's student loans in the past few years it was active. Some sources say Kaiba's executives were just too eager to let go of the past and move on. From inside the Manjyome mansion, this is Kabayama Suki, signing off."_

"Those DOGS!" roared Kaiba's voice, just before his remote control was launched at the huge television monitor in his office.

Mokuba, the younger Kaiba, watched from the doorway as his brother leaned back in the tall chair of his main office in Kaiba Corp. tower. He caught his breath when the remote control collided with the television screen.

Kaiba clenched his fists. "I never wanted to settle anything with those damn Manjyome brothers! If I knew my executives were that disloyal, I would have… Ergh!"

"Easy, Oniisan," approached the younger Kaiba. "I'm sure the Manjyomes mean well if all they want is to help clean up the island."

The older Kaiba, with striking blue eyes and light brown hair that didn't match his younger brother's wild jet-black mane, turned around in his revolving chair to face the younger sibling. "I don't trust them, Mokuba. They may know too much."

"About what?"

"The island. Duel Island has a history that very few people know of."

"Why is that?"

"Because those who've heard of it often pass it off as just an urban myth. You see, Mokuba, most of the islands off the Philippines were deserted for thousands of years, until the Second World War, when the Allied forces advanced towards Japan. The legend states that soldiers from both sides were scattered onto the island when they were marooned after a battle on the seas. While they were recuperating, they started seeing strange visions of monsters."

"Monsters…?"

"Yes. Some who came back home claimed they saw dragons, odd-looking demons and other supernatural beings. But nobody seemed to believe them; they thought perhaps the soldiers were hallucinating due to starvation or shell shock. But from those stories came my inspiration to build my school there."

"Wait," blinked Mokuba; "Are you saying that those soldiers were seeing actual Duel Monsters?"

"Either that," replied Kaiba, "or Duel Monster spirits."

Mokuba paused in awe, before he cracked a smile. "Eh, heh-heh. You don't really think Duel Monsters were around for that long, do you?"

Kaiba then stood up from his seat. "I've had my theories, Ototo-chan. After discussing it with my associates, we've decided to investigate the island for ourselves, to see if the ghosts were real. This exhibition started about the same time I've been hatching the idea of starting a dueling school. Somewhere down the line, both plans came together."

"But Niisan… _Real_ Duel Monsters?"

"I've seen some crazy things in my lifetime, Ototo-chan. Yugi looked like he had a split personality, and then it turned out he was hosting the spirit of an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. After what we've been through with him- or _them_- nothing would surprise me."

"I guess not," replied Mokuba in resounding awe. "But even if the spirits are real, how could the Manjyome Group gain control over them?"

Kaiba's attention turned to the window behind him, which overlooked most of Domino City. "For some reason, the spirits chose that island. I never found out why. And if the Manjyome Group finds out first, they could use it to their advantage."

He bright blue eyes narrowed with suspicion. "They could tell the press all they want, but I know what their real priority is: complete and absolute power."

..

II

"_You have reached the Manjyome residence. Please hold for a representative."_

…**Beep!**

"_Good afternoon, how may I help you?"_

"Uh, yeah. Hi. My name is Yuki Judai, and I was just calling for Manjyome Jun."

"_I'm sorry, Jun-san is not available at this time. May I take a message?"_

"No… thank you. That's okay. Bye."

**Click.**

"Darn it."

Judai sighed with bitter disappointment; for over an hour now he had been trying to get in contact with Manjyome from Sho's house, only to fail time and time again. But he wasn't alone; Sho- still dressed in Obelisk Blue- and Kenzan were nearby.

"Still no answer from Manjyome-saurus?" frowned Kenzan in concern.

"No," shook Judai's head. "I'm getting worried; something's just not right about this."

"Well," replied Sho, "you can't just walk up to the mansion and knock on the door. You need, like, an appointment or something."

"Should I try the phone again?"

"That hasn't worked so far, has it?"

**Ri-i-i-ing!**

Judai gasped in realizing that the phone was now buzzing on its own. He picked it up frantically. "Manjyome-kun? …Oh, sorry. I… Yes, this is the Marufuji residence; I… Uh, yes. Yes he is. Hold on."

Judai covered up the phone's speaking end before giving a loud "KAISER-SA-A-A-AN! PHONE!"

He hadn't given his friends a fair warning, and upon hearing his scream they jumped out of their skin.

Ryo walked into the room with the usual irritated look on his face. "No need to yell, Judai-kun." He picked up the phone nonchalantly. "Moshi-moshi… Hai… Hai… You're kidding… You're not kidding? …Alright. I'll be there. Arigato, sempai. I won't let you down. Sayonara." He then hung up the phone and walked toward the living room.

"Who was that, Kaiser-san?" blinked a curious Judai.

"My agent," replied Ryo. "I'll be in my room, Sho. I'll need to fix my deck."

Judai and company exchanged curious faces.

..

The Manjyome residence, later.

Jun was halfway to Dream Land while one of his personal servants was tutoring him from inside one of his lounge rooms. His eyes were glued longingly to the window on a wall just a few feet away, while he tapped a pencil on his desk.

"In basic algebra, numbers in a problem are replaced by numbers as a method to teach the problem solver how this solution came to be. The same methods exist in geometry, when trying to find out the measurements of angles in… Master Jun?"

"The Ming Dynasty," Jun sputtered out in a hapless attempt to prove he was paying attention. It had failed.

"Master Jun," said the tutor, "I know this isn't your idea of a great school, but your brothers have insisted-"

"I know Shinji, I know," interrupted the young man. "I'm sorry. Do go on."

"Right then… So, if 'x' equals '3' and the solution is six, then 'y' equals-"

"What is that?" Jun's attention was snatched up by the sound of a car driving up to the building. He rushed over to the nearest window and peered out from it.

Sure enough, there was a long black limousine slowing down to a halt at the mansion's driveway. The tutor himself looked through the window curiously.

A chauffer was seen opening the backseat door of the limo; out stepped a woman's black leather boot, followed by a tall woman wearing a long red coat underneath an attractive black dress. Her head was covered by a black feathery hat and sunglasses; however, once could see that her skin was pale white. And her long hair was even whiter.

"Ah," purred the tutor. "It appears your new dueling instructor has arrived."

Jun was stunned; "That's my dueling instructor? Who is she?"

"They call her Madame Discordia," was the older man's response.

Jun's curiosity was tickled; he never heard of this woman, but he figured anyone hired by his brothers to tutor him was sure to be a pro. And he knew all the pros…

_._

"Ah, Madam! You're here at last," cheered Chosaku with open arms as the mysterious woman in red and black entered the mansion.

She smiled with pale blue lips. "Manjyome Chosaku; it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person." Her black gloved hand took his before glancing over his shoulder. "And this must be your brother Shouji."

"Charmed, ma'am," bowed Shouji.

"And," grinned the pale-faced woman, "where is my new protégé?"

Chosaku pointed toward the ceiling; "Upstairs, in the middle of one of his 'classes.'"

Meanwhile, her chauffeur was lumbering across the room with suitcases too big for him to look straight forward. He nearly dropped them all within ten seconds.

Chosaku glanced over at him, then back at the woman. "Would you like us to go get him, ma'am?"

"No, no," she shook her head, revealing some of her snow white hair. "As soon as I settle in, I would like to talk to the two of you about your latest project."

"As you wish," replied Chosaku before snapping his fingers. "Jin! Kiyoshi! Help Ayame here with the lady's luggage!"

On cue, two more servants rushed into the scene to help the labored Ayame.

Meanwhile, a young man with wild black hair was eavesdropping from atop the staircase. He had overheard the whole conversation, and was most intrigued by what the strange lady had said just seconds earlier.

"'The next phase of the plan…' What plan?" Jun raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

As soon as his brothers left the room with the company of their new guest, Jun decided to make a bold move. He dashed up the stairs to the third floor, where he would hope to find his most loyal friend and servant.

.

"Sam? …Sam! Where are you!?"

The English-born butler was exiting one of many rooms in the hallway when he heard his young charge calling.

"Jun-kun?" he muttered curiously.

The youngest Manjyome skidded to a halt when he realized he ran right past Sam. "Oh, Sam!" he gasped. "There you are! I need you to do me a huge, huge favor."

"Yes, sir," raised Sam's eyebrows.

"It's gonna sound really crazy."

"Sir, you know I'd do anything for you."

"Right… Listen, this is what I need you to do…"

What Jun had planned really did sound crazy.

..

Within the half hour, Chosaku, Shouji and their mysterious guest were settling in a specially designed meeting room on the ground level of the mansion. As soon as one set foot in it, they could easily feel transported from a palace to a typical board room.

The woman, now coatless and revealing her black backless gown, sat quietly near the window side of the room, while the Manjyome brothers sat more closely to the doorway. On the table was nothing more than small servings of tea.

"I was very pleased with the press conference you gentlemen made this morning," said the white-haired madam as she sipped a cup of tea. "I'm also happy to know that you've secured a very significant part of the island."

"We wouldn't have gone through so much trouble if we hadn't known it was worth it," replied Chosaku, who sat opposite her.

"Well," shrugged Shouji. "We don't exactly know what we're digging up over there, all we know is that it's valuable."

The woman dropped her smile. "I must insist that you give me the name of your contact. Who was it that gave you the information?"

She might have gotten her answer, but there came a soft rapping at the door which distracted them all.

"Who is it?" called out Shouji.

On the other side of the door stood Sam, equipped with a wheeled table and a large tray of food covered by a lid. "Begging your Masters' pardon, but I thought you would all like a fresh snack to go along with your meeting."

Chosaku opened the door for him. "Alright, Sam. Just leave it by the door, we'll get to it soon."

"Yes, sir," bowed the butler before walking away with a knowing smirk.

The white-haired woman then resumed the conversation by saying, "Now then, gentlemen, allow me to tell you both a very long and fascinating story:

"Over ten years ago, Pegasus J. Crawford created three extremely unique and powerful Duel Monster cards known today as the Egyptian god cards."

"We know about the god cards," interrupted Chosaku rudely. "Everyone knows."

"Yes," nodded the woman, "but what no one knows is whatever became of them after Moto Yugi won them in the Dual City tournament five years ago. Some say that Yugi-san has kept them to himself, others say that he buried them somewhere, so that they would never be used again."

"Why would he do that?" asked a curious Shouji. "If I were him, I'd never leave those cards out of my sight."

The woman nodded. "Most people would agree with you, Shouji-san. But Yugi-san knows better than most, he knows that such power can come at a great price. Even when Pegasus, head of Industrial Illusions, made three copies of them in the form of the Demon Gods- Uria, Hamon, and Raviel- they too were beyond a normal person's control. This only proved that the God cards were not only a force to be reckoned with, but their powers were truly one of a kind."

Both the Manjyome brothers were intrigued, but Chosaku had to ask, "So, why are you telling us all of this, ma'am?"

Madame Discordia smiled. "Because, gentlemen, I have reason to believe that what you are about to unearth on Duel Island, are either the Demon Gods or the Egyptian Gods themselves."

It was too bad for Shouji to have been sipping a cup of tea at that moment, because once he heard the word "gods," he spat it right out.

The Madame went on to say, this time with a dark glare, "Which is why I must warn you, gentlemen. Whoever it is that told you to dig under the school, he is certainly aware that it is the hiding place of those cards. I would advise you not to continue on this mission of yours; however, if you insist on going through with it, then allow me to make you a new offer: Give _me_ whatever you find there on that island, and I promise that whatever your contact is paying you, I can double it. Tenfold."

Chosaku and Shouji exchanged glances at each other.

"I can see you boys will need time to think this over. Very well then," smiled the pleasant young woman as she rose to her feet. "If you don't mind, I'll take this opportunity to go powder my nose. If you'll excuse me…"

The gentlemen then courteously rose from their seats to allow the lady to leave their presence. Once she was gone, they sat back down. Now they were free to show off the confusion and bewilderment they had been hiding from her.

"…Think of how much money those god cards will be worth," said Shouji without warning. "We'll finally have enough money to make our own deals come true!"

The darker-haired Manjyome gulped, "I thought we agreed to say in league with Lady Red. She wouldn't leave us empty-handed."

"True," nodded Shouji, "But if she wants those cards for the same reason we do, then there's no point in staying with her once we find them."

"I don't know…" Chosaku's attention then turned to the tray of covered food standing idly by the wall. "All this talk's been making me hungry. Let's see what Sam cooked up for us."

With that he rose from his seat and walked over to the tray. Curiously, he lifted the metal lid, only to find that something else was present with the plate of food.

"Wha-?" he gasped in surprise.

"_It's mine, it's mine I saw it first!"_ growled a hungry Ojama Black spirit, floating over a tray of pâté.

"_You said you were on a diet!"_ argued a transparent Ojama Green ghost.

"_This IS my diet!"_replied the dark specter.

"_Guys,"_ pleaded Ojama Yellow's spirit, _"can't we just split 'em up and share? I'm hungry too!"_

The Manjyome brothers couldn't see nor hear the Duel Spirits, but their Duel Monster cards were almost completely hidden under the plate. Chosaku caught sight of a card's thin corner.

"What's this?" he muttered; upon touching the card, the Ojama spirits phased out in a _"Poof."_

Shouji approached him, now seeing Chosaku holding up the Ojama Yellow card.

They glanced at each other sternly. "Jun-chan."

..

By the time the Ojamas were discovered, Sam had already made his way back to Jun's room on the third floor. The young man was already stuffing clothes into a dark blue duffle bag.

Sam was obviously concerned. "Jun-chan, you've tried escaping from the mansion before. What if they catch you again?"

Jun zipped up the bag swiftly. "Not this time, Sam. This time my plan is fool-proof. But I'm gonna need your help again."

"Sir?"

"I'm gonna make a diversion downstairs; one so big, they'll have to open up the front gates. That's when I'll make my move." The young man then proceeded to grab all the Duel Monster cards he could from atop his dresser drawer.

"…If this truly is goodbye Jun," said Sam solemnly before reaching in his suit jacket; "perhaps you'll need this…"

Jun turned around to see what Sam was referring to. The elder butler took out an envelope from his jacket.

"You told me to keep this safe before you went to the academy," explained Sam, "and that's just what I've done. I've made sure no one else ever knew where it was so they wouldn't steal it." He then handed the envelope over to his young charge.

Jun opened the envelope and pulled out… and Duel Monster card. Upon seeing this card for the first time in years, his eyes lit up with joy.

"It is still your favorite, is it not?" Sam cracked a smile.

Jun then looked the older man in the eyes. "…Sam, I can't thank you enough for everything you've done."

"No need, sir- I mean Jun."

"…You know… I never told you this before, but… You've been like a father to me."

"Sir…"

"No, I mean it… I…"

"**Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!"** went the door.

_"JUN!"_ screamed Chosaku's voice from the other side of the door. _"Jun, come out! We need to talk, now!"_

Jun gasped; his mind went black, he couldn't think of what to do.

"Quick sir," whispered Sam, "hide in here." He then opened up Jun's incredibly large closet, and as gently as he could he shoved him inside.

_"Jun! Open up! I know you're in there!"_ screamed Chosaku through the door. But it was too late; Jun was now hidden among his many jackets.

Sam then opened the door calmly. "Master Chosaku?"

The older Manjyome stood over him with a look of fury in his eyes and three Ojama cards held tightly in his right hand. "Where is he, Sam?"

"Master Jun?" Sam's eyes wandered. "I'm not quite sure, actually."

"Then why are you in here all by yourself?"

"I was just tidying up sir," replied the quick-thinking Sam.

While in the closet, Jun overheard them with waited breath.

Chosaku then let himself in the room, pushing Sam aside. He got a good look around the room and didn't even think to look under all the nooks and crannies. "Seems pretty tidy to me," he replied coldly.

"I've just finished sir," Sam lied through his teeth.

Chosaku then impatiently turned to face the butler. "You were in our meeting room earlier, Sam. You hid Jun's Duel monsters in our lunch tray! Why?"

"Oh, _there_ they are!" smiled the tricky Sam, reaching boldly for the cards. "Master Jun's been looking all over for those little rascals. He'll be so pleased when-"

"Don't you _dare_ make a fool of me, you insolent servant!" snapped Sam's superior. "You're hiding him, aren't you?"

Sam stood his ground, looking as innocent as he could.

But then they both heard, "Leave him alone, nii-san." To their surprise, Jun opened up the closet doors from within and revealed himself.

"Jun-chan!" gasped Sam.

"It's alright Sam," replied Jun calmly.

"_Aniki!"_ cheered the spirit of Ojama Yellow. _"You're okay! …And, you came out of the closet?"_

"Shuddup you," hissed the teen softly.

Chosaku held up the three Ojama cards. "These pipsqueaks are your spirit friends we've been warned about!? That is truly sad, Ototo-chan."

"No," narrowed Jun's eyes. "What's even sadder is that I have to sneak around like a secret agent to find out what my own family is plotting behind my back!"

"Here," Chosaku sneered as he tossed the Ojama cards to Jun's feet, "take back your stupid soka cards. And you!" He pointed at Sam. "You're fired! Pack up all your belongings and leave the premises immediately!"

"No!" barked Jun. "You can't fire him; he's MY servant!"

"I am your superior," Chosaku growled at his little brother, before turning back to Sam. "You. Get out, now."

Sam gulped softly before bowing submissively. "Yes, sir."

"Sam…" Jun's eyes widened like a puppy dog's.

The elderly gentlemen then scooped up the Ojamas and handed them back to their owner. "You'll be alright, Jun-chan. You've got everything you need now…"

Jun was still reluctant to accept what's been done, but he did Sam a favor by giving him a nod. He knew Sam was right; all he needed was to get back the Ojamas, and now he had another very special card back in his possession. All this, thanks to his surrogate father.

"Well then, I must be off. Good luck, young lad." Sam extended his hand, which Jun was all too eager to shake. Then as he walked past him, Sam managed to give Jun a much more intimate gesture: a pat on the head.

Jun couldn't bear to watch him leave; his head bowed down to the floor instead. Then he heard the door close behind him.

Chosaku looked on, almost showing concern. "…I know that was hard for you, but-"

**POW!**

The older Manjyome honestly didn't see it coming; one minute he was standing over his little brother, and in the next he wound up on the floor with a sore jaw. Now it was the younger Manjyome looking over the older; his fist curled so tightly, it was shaking.

"You…" muttered Sanda, "…you have no idea…"

Chosaku rubbed his sore jaw as he struggled to right himself up. "…I am truly sorry, Ototo-chan, but I've warned you before not to be sneaky around us. You gave us your word you'd obey."

"No more, Chosaku. No more games, no more lies. You're going to tell me everything you know, and you're going to do it now."

Chosaku glared as sternly at his younger sibling as he could, before finally giving in. "Alright… Someone is helping us take over the Duel Monsters Industry."

"Why do you want that industry? Aren't you content with owning half of the Japanese government?"

"I'm doing it for _you_, you fool." Finally, Chosaku was back on his feet. "We're going to overthrow Kaiba so that you can move in and take his place. You'll be the head of the entire Duel Monster franchise."

His teeth gritted. "So the rumors are true then, you really _are_ trying to buy out Kaiba… except I don't want the franchise."

"You're a Manjyome. To be a Manjyome is to be at the very top! You're getting Kaiba Corp. whether you want it or not, Jun. Because you deserve it! You deserve the world!"

"I DON'T WANT THE WORLD!" Not out of his violent fit yet, Manjyome gave his older brother a harsh shove before making a mad dash out of his room.

.

The youngest Manjyome only made it halfway across the hall, when he skidded to a halt. There standing in the hall with her back to him, striking a pose with her gloved arm against a wall, was Madame Discordia. Her long white hair was pulled up in a stylish bun, revealing the backless gap in her black gown. Never before had Manjyome seen someone look so ghostly pale. He gasped and took a step back in fear as she turned to face him, with eyes and lips as blue as ice.

"Manjyome Jun, I presume?" she cooed.

"Uhh…" was all he could get out.

The woman approached him slowly. "Come closer, child. Don't be afraid."

"…Wh-who are you?" he stuttered, taking another step back.

The woman replied with a grin. "I am a friend. I knew you were special, but… Heh. I doubt even_ they_ know your full potential."

"_Manjyome no Aniki_," muttered the faint voice of Ojama Yellow from within Sanda's subconscious. _"Something's not right here; I sense danger."_

The woman's eyes widened. "Is that your soul mate talking?"

Manjyome gasped. "How did you… You can see Duel Spirits, can't you?"

"I can do many things," confessed the woman.

"_Aniki!"_ pleaded Ojama Yellow's spirit. _"I don't like this lady, she scares me!"_

Manjyome gulped, "What do you want from me, lady?"

"I can sense much power within you, boy. I've suspected it for quite a while now." She took a few more steps toward him, making him back up into the wall.

Manjyome's spine chilled. "Don't come any closer."

"I won't hurt you; I just want to see your soul mate. Just one look, if you please…"

"_Aniki, run! …RUN!"_

The teen heard Ojama Yellow's cry and responded quickly; he made a run for it right past the mysterious woman.

She looked on as if expecting his actions. Her lips curled into a sinister smile, which revealed a pair of sharp fangs. _"That boy has more power than even_he_knows,"_ she thought to herself. _"He will be of great use to me, indeed."_

_.._

III

"I win again," said Ryo with his typical emotionless voice.

The Kaiser and his opponent were sitting at the dining room table for over three hours now, and this was their umpteenth duel. Judai moaned as his Flame Wingman card stared down a Cyber End Dragon, whose summoning he couldn't prevent.

By this time, all of the other guests of the household went home. It was getting very late.

"Gosh," gasped Sho as he sat by witnessing; "That was the fastest one yet! Two minutes!"

Judai got to his feet and growled defiantly, "Best seventeen outta twenty!"

Ryo crossed his arms. "Are you sure you want to take that much abuse, Judai-kun?"

Judai clenched his fists. "I'm not leaving this house until I win just once!"

Sho's brows shifted in worry; "If you were planning on staying here this long, Aniki, you should've brought pajamas."

Ryo then gave a soft yawn. "…I'm taking five. Feel free to stick around for dinner, Judai." With that, he got up and left the room for a break.

Judai then looked over to Sho. "Whatever duel he's preparing for, it better be worth it."

_.._

Manjyome wasn't playing around when he told Sam he had a foolproof escape plan; he just had to wait till nightfall for his plan to set in motion.

But as the sun was beginning to sink in the sky that day, his focus was temporarily severed by the appearance of Madame Discordia. Frightened by her mysterious ways, he fled into the master bedroom of his oldest brother, hoping that would be the last place anyone would hope to find him. And in there he stayed, for well over two hours.

He was curled up next to the side of his grandmother's queen-sized bed, opposite the doorway, when he finally regained his composure. "Brr," he shivered; "…What the hell is that lady? What does she want with me and my Ojamas?"

"_Us, Aniki?"_ peeped the pint-sized Ojama ghosts, who popped up out of nowhere.

"She said she wanted my soul mates," he told them.

The Ojamas looked puzzled. _"We're not your soul mates, Aniki."_

"You're not!?" gasped the surprised Manjyome. "But… then… Why are you always following me?"

"_You've been so good to us,"_ purred Ojama Black.

"_You gave us a chance when everyone else thought we were trash,"_ added Ojama Green.

Ojama Yellow had a more profound answer: _"We've met way back when you were all alone and in need of a friend. But then we started to get to know each other, and now it's like…"_

"I get it," Manjyome nodded gently. "You were drawn to me, and now it feels like we're family…"

"_You're our Big Bro, Manjyome-kun!"_ cheered the three goofy-looking spirits.

For a moment, Manjyome smiled peacefully, but then he wondered aloud, "…But if you're not my soul mates, then who…?"

A small shiver came from the Duel Monster card that remained hidden in the white envelope of Manjome's jacket.

..

Nightfall.

As soon as the coast was clear, Manjyome made his move at last. He waited until Madame Discordia finally left the house, and his brothers were beginning to grow weary and ready to tuck in for the night.

None of the servants seem to notice the youngest Manjyome walking through the halls in his long black jacket, under which he was hiding canisters of flammable products- from spray paint to actual lighter fluid he had a blindly loyal servant sent for earlier.

Without giving it a second thought, he coated his entire room in odorizing products, and soaked his bed with the light gasoline. Then he made a trail of gasoline from his room to the end of the hallway, where he would readily light a match to ignite the flames.

But before he could make that move, he first had to dash downstairs to the main kitchen; in which he dumped all of his tin cans into the microwave, slammed it shut, and set it to thirty minutes. And explosion was inevitable.

He then made a quick dash to one other kitchen nearby, and stuffed as many tin cans into another microwave as he could. It wasn't a hard task to do, since there was a cupboard full of cleaning products nearby. He then set his second bomb to thirty minutes.

It would take less than thirty minutes for the microwaves to combust, but Manjyome's timing was precise; he waited very patiently for both bombs to go off before finally lighting the hallway with fire. And then of course, that fire would become a blazing inferno in the room he once slept in.

.

**KABOOM!**

.

From their respective bedrooms, Chosaku and Shouji jumped from their beds in reaction to a startling tremor. The rest of the household was up in arms in no time; servants went scattering in search of fire extinguishers. But they would never find those extinguishers; Manjyome had taken them all and hid them hours earlier.

The servants had no choice then but to call the fire department. And of course, the fire department couldn't possibly get to the fires without first going through the main gates. Which was exactly what Manjyome needed to have happen all along.

.

Within minutes, the older Manjyome brothers had redressed themselves in their suits and tried to calm down their panicked maids in the living room. That's when it hit Chosaku: "Jun! Where's Jun!?"

.

Manjyome was already outside, hopped onto his newly bought motorcycle.

He felt like an eternity came before the fire engines finally arrived; as soon as the main gate was forced open, Manjyome's motorbike roared. He burned rubber down the paved road that led to the gate. His timing was excellent; the gate was not but several feet wide open when he tore through it like a bat out of hell, and he had just missed the charging fire engines upon exiting the manor.

He howled in jubilation as he flew down the sloping hill atop which his castle-like home as built. Sure, the castle was now partially in flames, but it didn't matter… What mattered was that he was finally free.

_.._

By the time the sky had gone dark, Ryo was all set to leave. The rest of the Marufuji family watched as a limousine pulled up at their house. Ryo nodded, knowing the ride was for him.

He turned to the company stat stood by. "Well, this is it."

"Good luck son," said his father.

"I wish we could see it in person," frowned his mother. "I just know you'll win!"

Ryo cracked a smile; "This is an exclusive duel, mom… but I'm glad you have so much faith in me."

Sho, no longer dressed in his blue blazer, looked on worriedly. Ryo took notice; "Don't worry, Ototo-chan," he said. "Win or lose, I'll be fine."

"I hope so…" muttered Sho, before he finally cheered, "Good luck, Onii-san!"

For once, Ryo smiled back at him. Then he turned around to enter his escorting limousine.

Finally, Judai appeared from the doorway, fashionably late. "Hey, Kaiser!" he called out. Before he could say any more, Ryo waved from inside the long black vehicle, just before the door was shut in front of him.

As the limo's engine started up again, Judai looked to Sho. "Sho, where's he going? Did he finally say?"

"He sure did," replied the littlest Marufuji. He kept his worried eyes on the limo, as if he had a premonition of bad things to come.

"…He's off to duel the King of Games."

Judai froze in stunned silence as the limo pulled away.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Chapter: **Neutral Ground**

Featured Duel: **Marufuji "Kaiser" Ryo vs. Moto Yugi- Title Match**


	5. Neutral Ground

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Five: "Neutral Ground"**

I

Dark clouds were rolling over the city of Domino, where Kaiba Corp.'s main tower proudly stood. It seemed as though a storm was brewing outside… as well as within.

.

Kaiba sat at the end of a long table before a troop of lawyers, tapping his fingers together patiently as one of his agents rambled about their latest lawsuit.

"…And the Sakata family is asking for double the amount as the Tojo family, which totals our payment to over seventeen billion in yen! They would also like a formal apology, and for us to cover the funerals for their children… Kaiba-san, if we-"

"Settle."

"Sir, please listen. If we continue to settle these cases, we may not have enough to keep Kaibaland running. We may have to sell it in order to keep the main company from going bankrupt."

"My entire life has been dedicated to promoting games and fun; I'm not afraid to lose money if it means the condolence of my target audience."

"Sir… Our stocks have dropped dramatically since the volcanic eruption at Duel Island. No one seems to want to play Duel Monsters anymore, or buy our products."

"Pegasus is responsible for the Duel Monsters game. Let him speak with us if he can."

"Sir?"

"If we're suffering from this disaster, then so is he. Perhaps we can make a deal with his company to cut both our losses." Kaiba then rose from his chair as the curious agents looked on.

"Pegasus-san's headquarters are in California; we might not have time to-"

"Do what you can, gentlemen, and as quickly as you can do it. As for me, I have a very important duel to head to." His associates watched in bewilderment as Kaiba started to walk toward the main exit of the meeting room.

One of them stood up with a gasp; "Sir, you can't just walk away from our crisis!"

Kaiba was halfway out the door when he turned to his associates and said, "I'm not walking away, gentlemen; and this is not a crisis. It only becomes a crisis when we lose everything, and so help me God I am not going to."

He then let himself out; he was not going to let a bunch of money-hugging old men keep him from seeing his greatest rival defend his title.

_.._

Manjyome Jun had spent the past two hours riding aimlessly in the middle of the night on his motorbike, until he had run out of gas. Unfortunately for him, it was starting to rain heavily that night. In fact it was pouring, and poor Manjyome neglected to bring an umbrella. So now he was in the middle of a strange neighborhood, in the pouring rain, pulling his motorbike through the empty street… and now, a cold was coming on.

"Ehh… Ehhh… Aaa-choo!"

"_Gesunteit, Aniki!"_peeped the transparent voice of Ojama Yellow.

"Arigatou," muttered the teen as he rubbed his wet nose.

Manjyome needed a phone and he needed one fast, but his brothers had taken away his phones and laptop computers, so there was no way for him to call a friend. He was completely lost now, and in the pouring rain. His hair started to flatten, with some of his bangs now drooping over his right eye. But he dragged on, knowing he was somewhere in the right neighborhood as Judai and company.

"_You should have brought an umbrella,"_ commented Ojama Green's voice.

"I didn't know it was gonna rai- Ahh… _A-choo!_ …Meh…" groaned the teen.

He then stopped on a bus stop corner, where there was a bench but no roof to hide from the rain. He shivered as he flipped his head underneath his coat.

"_Aniki, you should have brought a map."_

"I was in a hurry to leave that hell hole."

"_It wasn't so bad,"_ chirped Ojama Black's voice. _"There was great food, warm fireplaces, big soft beds…"_

"I don't care. I'd rather starve and shiver to death than be without my friends."

"_You could have at least worn a bigger coat_," peeped Ojama Green's voice.

"Stop lecturing me!" he roared.

And then, just like that, there was silence. Manjyome sighed deeply, feeling alone.

When suddenly, it stopped raining over his head. He looked up curiously; a black umbrella seemed to have magically appeared. But then he realized that someone was holding it over him. He looked to his right to see who it was. To his amazement, there standing next to him was the pale-skinned, white-haired woman with lips so blue she seemed to have died from hypothermia long ago. She was wearing a hooded black leathery coat, and smiling.

He gasped in fear, thinking her to be a ghost at first. "…It's you again. How…?"

"You look like you could use a hand," she replied calmly, as she handed the umbrella over to him.

He glanced around to see if there was anyone else present, but there wasn't. "…Who _are_ you?"

"I am the angel who is summoned at the End of the World."

"…An angel? You?"

"Not all angels have wings, and not all demons are ugly beats," her smile faltered. "One such demon is coming soon, and when he does he will threaten all existence."

"…You're just messing with me, aren't you? You're working with my brothers; you don't care about me. You're just after money, aren't you?"

"Typical lack of human faith… No matter; if you can't trust me, then trust your instincts."

"Leave me alone," he turned his head away. "I'm just trying to find a phone."

"You mean this phone?" she grinned, holding out a small black cellphone. He took it into his hand, and upon further inspection, he realized… "Wait. This is my phone. But my brothers took it from me. How did you?" He looked upward, and she was gone, vanished without a trace.

"_Dude, that was creeeepyyyy,"_ chirped Ojama Yellow.

"Trust my instincts," he repeated. As much as he was creeped out by the mystery lady, having his cellphone in hand did make him feel a lot better. He pushed a few buttons until he got to the latest number he put in his memory card.

"…Hello? Judai? Yeah, it's me… Yeah, long story. Listen, could you do me a favor? I need a ride."

.

Manjyome wouldn't have to wait long for a mint green minivan to drive up at the corner of which he was temporarily staying. He was told to wait there when he called the Yuki residence; now, at long last, they seemed to have arrived.

Judai jumped out of the car first, before his mother could even turn off the engine. Manjyome never saw such an excited look on his former rival's face; it was like he was greeting a long-lost cousin. But Manjyome was quiet; he didn't know what to say.

Next thing he knew, Manjyome was curled up in the passenger's seat, much to the insistence of Mrs. Yuki. As for his motorbike and luggage, they were placed in the far back of the vehicle; Judai was also in the back. He stared out into the gloomy fog made by the rain outside. He was still shivering.

"Eh… eehh… A-choo!"

"Poor thing, you're chilled to the bone," he heard the soft, pleasant voice of Judai's mother; "Don't worry, dear. As soon as we get you home, we'll get you all dried up and cozy."

Suddenly, Judai turned around from the left-sided passenger's seat; his eyes beamed with joy. "Wait'll you see my place, Manjyome-kun! It's huge! …Well, maybe not as huge as yours… and probably not as luxurious… But you may like it!"

"Judai…" he muttered softly. He paused to think over what he was going to say, until he said it. "…I appreciate this, Mrs. Yuki. I really do. …But… I only hope I'm not putting you out."

"Eh?" peeped the rusty red-haired driver. "What's that, Manjyome-kun?"

"I'm just saying… I won't stay long, just long enough to get a hotel, or something."

"No, you'll fit in just fine at our place," smiled the optimistic woman.

"You can have my room!" smiled Judai. "Uh, you'll have to bunk with my brothers though."

"And where will you sleep?" wondered Manjyome out loud.

"I'll take the couch downstairs in the basement," replied Judai. "It's really comfortable."

"No, no," shook Manjyome's chilled head. "…I'll take the basement. No worries."

"Manjyome-kun…?" peeped the woman behind the driver's seat.

"I really don't want to be a burden," frowned the young man.

The woman smiled pleasantly. "…You saved my boy's life, Manjyome. The least we could do is give you a place to stay."

Manjyome then perked up. He remembered now; he_did_ save Judai's life back on the exploding island. It was pure instinct that made him do it, but… he did it nonetheless. And he was now realizing just what kind of impact that made on the Yuki family. He sighed, and for once he began to feel comfortable.

..

Within minutes, they had arrived.

"Here we are," said Mrs. Yuki as she opened her car door.

Manjyome let himself out; he was told that the Yuki residence was big… but he was surprised at just _how_ big. It looked more like a complex, with three houses fused together.

"Wow," he whispered in amazement.

Suddenly, Judai crept up behind him with a sly grin. "What, were you expecting a dump?"

Manjyome mused for a moment at the comment; then Judai pointed at the houses. "That's ours in the middle; the one on the left is my aunt's and the one on the left is my grandparents'."

"Your family must be really close," muttered the chilled boy in black.

"…You have no idea," was Judai's reply.

"There they are!" cried out a male voice from out of nowhere.

Suddenly, one older man came rushing out from the middle house, followed by three teen males. Manjyome was most surprised to see just how much alike these four teenagers looked like Judai. In fact, the only way they could be told apart was by wearing their hair in slightly different styles. Meanwhile, the older man- apparently Mr. Yuki- appeared to be a heavyset version of Judai, except with less hair and with a small pair of glasses.

Judai stood between the new faces and the stunned boy in black. "This is my Dad, Manjyome-kun, and these are my quadruplet brothers: Jou, Jin and Junzo."

Manjyome counted them silently; one, two three. "Quadruplets?"

"Yep."

"Where's the fourth?"

"Right here!" smiled Judai proudly, pointing to himself. "Everyone, this is Manjyome Jun."

"Hi," peeped the black-haired teen, waving weakly at them.

The older gentleman approached the boy with open arms; "So this is the big hero," he smiled joyfully. Then, without warning, he gave Manjyome a big, warm hug. "It's so nice to finally meet you! Judai's told us so much about you."

Again, he was briefly reminded of his heroics from back on the exploding island. It made him shake a little, but still he cracked a smile.

Then Mr. Judai stepped in; "Boys, let him in! He's barely gotten through the front door." He then hurried Manjyome into the house, followed by his escorts.

Once inside the house, Manjyome was welcomed to warm air and a pleasant aroma of potpourri. He took in a deep breath of relief.

"So…" muttered the still awkward Manjyome to the teen beside him, "this is your family."

"…Well," rolled Judai's eyes nervously, "…not quite."

Then one of the "quads" screamed toward the nearby staircase; "GUYS! GIRLS! COME DOWN HERE, THE MANJYOME BOY IS HERE!"

The scream was replied with the thunder of dozens of footsteps from upstairs, as well as footsteps from the kitchen and hallway. In mere moments, the room was nearly packed with people; Manjyome stood in awe in front of a total of nine- yes, NINE- Yuki children: three girls and two boys joined the group.

"Okay," Judai took an excited breath; "these are my brothers in sisters in age order. First it's me, Jou, Jin and Junzo. Then there's Sasuke, Saori, Sanzo, Yumi and, Fuu!"

Manjyome's jaw dropped, as Judai went on; "The quads n' me are all eighteen, the triplets 15, Yumi's 10 and little Fuu's only eight."

Then suddenly one of the young girls spoke up; "Are you really rich, Manjyome-san?"

"Saori! Mind your manners," barked Mrs. Yuki.

"Come on kids," commanded Mr. Yuki, "let's help Manjyome-kun settle in."

"He can have my room!"

"He can have my bed!"

"Can he stay with us in our room?"

"Where are his bags?"

Voices from all over the place called out at one time, thus causing Manjyome to fall into a dizzy spell.

.

The next thing he knew, the new boy in the house was cleaned up, dried off and warmed up in a nice new set of clothes. Only this time, he was more or less in bed wear; it was now close to midnight, and so he had slipped into soft grey pants and a white T-shirt which suited him for pajamas.

And just as he had intended, he was quickly beginning to make himself at home down the family basement. The basement itself was rather huge and spacey, with two separate couches, one recliner, and even an entertainment center complete with a laptop computer. And right in front of the largest couch- which would soon be his bed- was a gigantic flat-screen television.

The raven-haired teen never would have dreamed for his rival to live in such exceptional luxury, but then again, he never dreamt he would actually _see _Judai's house. Now that he was here, he was beginning to feel like he had been abducted by aliens and taken to a strange new world. Adapting to this place would certainly take time. But Manjyome was not planning to stay for that long.

As soon as he gained access to a pillow and blanket, he quickly made a small nest out of the main couch, and curled up into it tightly. That's when Judai decided to head downstairs to check up on his new houseguest.

"Manjyome-kun?" smiled Judai curiously. "You okay down here?"

"It's San-da… And I'm fine. Thanks."

"How do you like the place so far? You wanna go on a big house tour tomorrow?"

"Sure, I guess."

"We taped the big duel between Kaiser and Yugi-san; you can watch it with us in the morning."

"Great."

"And then later we can all play football in the yard; it's best to play after a big rain storm, cause of all the extra mud! And my mom and sisters are going shopping; you can join them! And then later we-"

"Judai!"

"Yes…?"

"…Thanks for everything, but I'm really tired right now. I need to get some sleep."

"Oh… Okay. Just holler up if you need anything."

"Kay." Manjyome rolled over to the side and closed his eyes, cuing Judai to take off.

But Judai hadn't gone any further than four steps before something else struck his mind. "…Hey, Manjyome?"

"What?"

"My sisters think you're hot."

Manjyome's eyes peaked open as he rolled back to Judai. "…Which ones?" he asked curiously.

"All of them," Judai grinned.

The nestled one couldn't help but chuckle softly.

"Well, goodnight!" waved Judai, who then quickly headed upstairs and turned out the light.

Manjyome rolled back to the other side, hoping to shake off his insecurities as soon as possible. But it wouldn't take long for him to find sleep at last.

..

II

It was mere minutes till noon that next day, when Manjyome woke up to the sound of little feet charging down the stairs. His eyes fluttered open as the two youngest Yuki's, red-haired Fuu and dark-haired Yumi, fluttered down to the basement in a frustrated huff.

"Manjyome-san! Manjyome-san!" they gasped in desperation.

"What? What?" moaned the teen, he rubbed his sleepy eyes, and when they reopened, he realized the youngsters were holding Duel Monster cards in their hands. "Oh," he muttered, as though he just realized he wasn't home anymore.

"We need to ask you about a card ruling," panted the ten-year-old girl whose name Manjyome quickly forgot. "Can you flip up your monster if your opponent plays a card like Raigeki?"

"No. Raigeki destroys the monster automatically, and you can't flip it up unless your opponent's monster attacks it."

"See? I told you!" barked the youngest girl at her slightly older sister.

Then Yumi asked another one: "What about Waboku? Can you play its effect even after your opponent destroys it with Cyclone?"

"Yes. That's called a 'Chain.' Since Waboku is a Trap, its effect moves faster than any Spell card; therefore its effect activates first."

"Ha! Beat that, you little cheater!" snapped the older girl at little Fuu.

"I was not cheating!" she snapped back.

Manjyome yawned. "…Why don't you two ask your brother about these things?"

"Judai's out playing football with the others," frowned the older girl.

Manjyome sat up and glared at her intensively. "…And you are?"

"Yumi."

His black eyes shifted to the girl. "And you?"

"Fuu."

"Right… Well, okay then." Manjyome then curled back up under his blanket, hoping to fall back to sleep.

Yumi then turned to her little sister. "Come on, let's go before Mom and Dad think we're bothering him." And with that, she led the way upstairs.

But the smaller girl decided to stay a while longer, and felt the urge to tap her houseguest on the back softly. "Manjyome-san?"

"Hmm?" he purred, opening his eyes halfway.

She then held up a particular card. "I wanna be a duelist just like you and Judai when I grow up. But Yumi says this card's useless. Is it true?"

Manjyome rolled on his side to get a better look at the card. It was Mystical Elf; a Normal Monster with only 800 Attack Points and 2000 Defense Points.

"Why would she say it's useless?"

"'Cause her Attack Points are low. Yumi says that only the Monsters with high Attack Points are worth playing."

Manjyome then sat up again, looking much more at ease. "Your sister doesn't know squat. I play Ojama monsters, and they have no Attack Points at all."

"Really?"

"Yes. And they work out for me just fine. Listen, Fuu, there's no such thing as a useless card. It all depends on who's playing it."

The little girl smiled enthusiastically. "Oh, thanks so much Manjyome-san!"

"San-da."

"Huh?"

Remembering his place, he shifted his head away. "Nevermind."

"Well thank you anyway! This is one of my favorite Monsters, and I wouldn't give her up for the whole world!" She then flung her arms around him, catching him completely off guard. "You're the best houseguest ever."

She then skipped back upstairs, not realizing that she had just made her new houseguest's day.

..

Within the hour, Judai and his look-alike brothers dared to tread into the kitchen, covered head to toe in mud. They all looked so joyful it was unclear as to who won their football game.

But their laughing and gabbing would come to a screeching halt when their mother made her presence known in the kitchen. "And just where do you four think you're going?" she asked with a tapping foot while clutching a spatula in one hand.

Judai gulped. "Umm… To the driveway, where we'll hose off all the mud?"

"That's what I thought," nodded the woman with her arms crossed. She then watched as the quads moaned and groaned on their way back outside.

Their exit was immediately followed by Manjyome's entrance through the basement doorway. "Ah!" smiled Mrs. Yuki; "Good morning, Manjyome-kun! How'd you sleep last night?"

"Like a rock," he smiled.

"Morning, Manjyome-kun!" blurted out Judai from the cracked open kitchen door.

"Driveway!" shouted his mother, shaking her spatula at him.

"Right," he whimpered, before shutting the door at last.

"Now," said Mrs. Yuki to her houseguest with a pleasant smile, "what would you like for breakfast?"

"Uhhh," was all Manjyome could get out of his mouth, before heading for the dining room window. From there, he could see Judai and his look-alike brothers having a ball with the garden hose in the driveway. He sighed. "…How do you do it, Mrs. Yuki?"

"Hmm?"

"Put up with nine kids?"

"Oh, it wasn't that hard. My husband, our parents and my sister have helped out a lot. What about you? We've never really discussed your family, or why you left your home."

He glanced her way. "Oh… Right… uhh..." Gee, where should he start, he wondered? The fact that his brothers were control freaks? That his parents were gone? Finally, he closed his eyes and frowned, "I don't like discussing family problems."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she apologized.

"It's okay, Mrs. Yuki…" His eyes fixed on the teens out in the driveway, having the time of their lives while squirting each other with the garden hose. "What else did Judai say about me?"

"Hmm?"

"Did he ever tell you how badly I've always wanted to beat him in a duel? Did he tell you we used to be enemies?"

"Enemies?" the woman cracked a smile; she couldn't help but let out a small giggle, which intrigued Manjyome. "You need to understand, Manjyome-kun; Judai never sees anyone as an enemy. Nobody is evil in his eyes."

"I used to treat him like crap. Him and everybody else…"

She approached him until she stood right by his side at the window. "Manjyome-kun, I can only imagine what it was like to have to fight for your family's honor all the time. But you're in _our _home now. You don't have to defend your pride or your wealth here. You can act like a normal teenager for once."

"…I'd like that…"

"Come on, let's fix you some breakfast." Mrs. Yuki walked back into the kitchen, leaving Manjyome alone with his thoughts.

Manjyome sighed deeply to himself, when his eyes wandered off into the distance. From out the window, he could see the next street and the cars driving down it. Nothing looked particularly odd about the scene, until… _she _appeared.

His eyes widened with shock. It was her; the pale-skinned woman with long white hair, just standing there just one street away from where he stood. This time, she was dressed in a long black coat, similar to his own. And her head was covered by a fancy black hat. She almost looked invisible, but it was definitely her.

He could see her curling her icy blue lips into a smile at him.

And then, just as suddenly as she appeared, she vanished just after a car drove past her. It was as if she was never there at all.

Manjyome froze in fear, staring blankly at the street from out the window. For a second, he couldn't even breathe. But then he quickly pulled the curtain shut. Then, he felt a strong urge to lock all the doors, which could not be controlled.

..

This was going to be the duel of Marufuji Ryo's life, and his family and friends weren't going to miss it for the world.

Judai had wisely taped the exclusive event the night before, and that afternoon the whole family gathered in the living room to watch the pre-taped show. As Judai set the tape up, Manjyome curled up on the carpet in front of the couch, letting the couch's true owners take their places there. But he would soon find company on the floor, in the form of little Fuu.

She held her favorite Duel Monster, the Mystical Elf, tightly in her grasp as she looked up to him. "Can me n' Misty watch with you, Manjyome-san?"

He gave her a puzzled look. "Misty?"

"That's what I call her," was her reply as she held up the card.

"Oh," he cracked a smile. "Sure you can. …Both of you."

"Thanks, Manjyome-san!" she cooed.

"San-d…. Oh. Heh."

"Alright everybody, this is it!" cheered Judai, just before he hit _"Play."_ Then he dashed over to the corner of the couch where he would watch the duel…

.

**Flashback/Tape footage:**

It was a sold-out show; most of the audience members were cordially invited, including Kaiba Seto of Kaiba Corps., his younger brother Mokuba, and Pegasus J. Crawford of Industrial Illusions. Others among the elite audience included many members and officials of the Duel Monsters Pro League, and only the best of the best could afford to see the show.

.

Most of the other audience members were just plain filthy rich, and could afford such an elite event. Among them was a youthful woman with silky white skin and raven-black hair that was pulled up in a tail; ruby lips and wrapped up in royal purple clothing. She was also dolled up in heavy gold jewelry, including large earrings, a series of necklaces, and a golden tiara with dark lace that lapped over her eyes. She almost looked like royalty, but no one seemed to notice her. Perhaps that was because she sat in one of the highest rows in the stadium.

.

One audience member was the youngest of all; at only age seventeen, Edo Phoenix had staked his claim within a year as the youngest professional duelist in the world. His straight silky hair shined with a silvery luster, but was often overshadowed by his fierce blue eyes. And though he was young, he dressed a formally as an adult businessman; his suit often complimented his silver hair. Edo was sitting close to the front row at this esteemed showing; although he was usually a ferocious rival of Marufuji Ryo, one could see the look of pride he had in his smile for his slightly older competitor. For no one could afford to challenge the title of "King of Games" without first proving one's self in the Pro Leagues time and time again. And "The Kaiser" did just that.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, please give a warm stadium welcome for tonight's challenger, Marufuji 'Duel Kaiser' Ryo!"_

Now at long last, he has arrived in the dueling arena; the first of the two challengers to appear. As soon as his name was announced, he ascended from a dark hallway, and his presence was soon followed by a respectful applause.

But then came the second announcement: _"And now, ladies and gentlemen, please give it up for our reigning Duel Monsters Champion; celebrating his sixth year as the undisputed winner of over one-hundred tournaments, your King of Games, the one, the only, Moto Yugi!"_

From the other side of the arena, ascending from another dark hallway, came The King of Games. Some would remember him to be smaller, with slightly more yellow in his vibrant spiky hair, and carrying a large, heavy artifact of some kind shaped like a pyramid around his neck. But not this time; this time he was taller, noticeably older-looking, and wearing nothing more than a grey denim, unbuttoned jacket over a black shirt, with navy blue denim pants and black shoes. He looked innocent enough, but the welcoming applause he had gotten from the crowd outranked the Kaiser's by a long shot.

.

For this special game, the duelists agreed to duel by using one of Kaiba's old-fashioned holographic systems. This included two towering podiums that stood over a basketball-sized arena, in which Duel Monsters, Spells and Traps would appear gigantic. In big games like this, bigger was always better.

Yugi stepped onto the blue podium, Ryo the red; they were both lifted up as if their stages were cranes.

It was then that Ryo finally got a very good look at his competition. There was a youthful gleam in Yugi's red-violet eyes… but it was not very vibrant. At least, not as vibrant and energetic as it was once thought to be.

Ryo smiled at him. "I'd just like to take this opportunity to say… Thank you, Yugi. Thank you, for giving me this opportunity to prove myself to you."

Yugi smiled back; "It's a pleasure, Marufuji-san. And good luck to you."

"Thanks. And please, call me Ryo."

"Very well."

They paused to ready their decks. The audience fell silent.

"**DUEL!"**

**Yugi: 8000**

**Kaiser Ryo: 8000**

"I'll start," said the current champion. "Draw! …For my first move, I'll set two cards face down…"

Ryo watched as two gigantic face-down cards appeared in Yugi's Spell and Trap Zone.

"…and then I'll set this Monster, in Defense Mode."

One long horizontal card sat in the Monster Zone.

"Turn over."

Said Ryo, "My turn. Draw! …Since I have no Monsters on my side of the field yet, and you have at least one on yours, then I can Special Summon this Monster from my hand. Rise, Cyber Dragon!"

**Cyber Dragon: 2100 ATK**

Yugi looked slightly surprised; he had seen "Cydras" before, but they had always appeared menacing when they've hit the field. After all, Cyber Dragon was a Five-Star Monster, which meant it would have normally had to wait a turn to be Tribute Summoned. And since the playing field made monsters as big as houses, this slender, dragonic machine looked all the more ferocious in person. And what was worse, it was a Special Summon!

"Now," said Ryo, "since that was just a Special Summon, I can summon another Monster. This time it'll be Proto Cyber Dragon."

**Proto Cyber Dragon: 1100 ATK**

A smaller, less offensive Cydra joined Cyber Dragon's side.

"But," explained Ryo, "according to its effect, as soon as Proto Cyber Dragon hits the field, it counts as a Cyber Dragon. Which means, it can now benefit from all of my bigger monster's advantages."

"Such as?"

"Such as this: I play Fusion. Now my two Machines will be transformed… into Twin Cyber Dragon!"

**Twin Cyber Dragon: 2800 ATK**

Suddenly, two Cydras became one gigantic mechanical behemoth; and as their nickname would suggest, it was now growing in heads! And strangely enough, the two heads were distinctively different from each other.

"Not a bad move," complimented Yugi.

"Why thank you," replied Ryo. He then pulled another Spell from his hand. "Since you have two face-down cards, I'm not going to take any chances. I'm going to play Heavy Storm, which should clear your Spell and Trap Zone easily…"

Normally, a virtual hurricane as big as "Heavy Storm" would blow all other Spell or Trap cards away; however, to Ryo's amazement, there came a sparkling light that flickered from Yugi's two face-down cards. The two balls of light literally jumped up from the Spell and Trap Zone, and bounced over to the Monster Zone!

"What!?" exclaimed the Kaiser in disbelief.

Yugi explained, "When you've targeted my two cards, you've activated their effects. Meet my two Toy Magicians!"

**Toy Magicians 1 and 2: 1500 DEF**

Two small, puppet-like magicians with bright red clown hair appeared in Defense Mode on Yugi's side of the field, on the opposite ends of the face-down monster.

"But how?" wondered Ryo.

As Yugi explained, "Well, technically they are Monsters, but should I choose to, I could also treat them as Spell cards, by setting them in the Spell and Trap Zone. And should they be destroyed while in that Zone, they are automatically brought back out- this time, as Monsters."

Ryo smirked, "Very clever… You should know then that my Cyber Twin Dragon can attack twice each turn. So I'll use that effect, and go straight for those clowny toys! Attack Cyber Twin Dragon!"

First one mecha-dragon head, then the other, ripped through the helpless Toy Magicians as if they were paper, with their laser breath. But Yugi hardly even flinched.

"For my last move," stated the Kaiser as he pulled out the last two cards in his hand, "I'll set these two cards face down in the Spell and Trap Zone, and end my turn."

"My turn, draw!" announced Yugi. He now had four cards in his hand, and only one card on the field- his lone face-down monster. "I'll start by flipping up my monster: meet my third Toy Magician!"

**Toy Magician: 1400 ATK**

Again, another puppet-like clown in sorcerer's clothing! But was Yugi willing to attack with it?

"I should tell you," warned Yugi, "this Monster is not only a trickster in the Spell and Trap Zone; it also has a Flip effect! Now, since I've flipped this one face up, I can send one of your Spells or Traps to the Graveyard. Ususally I could destroy as many of your cards as I have Toy Magicians; but since I only have one, I'll take down…" Yugi paused to decide which of Ryo's face-down cards to take out. Then he pointed to the one on his right. "_That_one!"

Ryo cringed as his Mirror Force's holographic form shattered like glass. Now he was unable to stop any opposing Monsters from harming his Cydra, or his Life Points.

I'll now play the Spell card Magical Dimension," announced Yugi, as a Spell with the image of a chained coffin appeared on the field. "This lets me transfer one Spellcaster on my field with a Spellcaster in my hand, and the monster I choose to summon is this: my Dark Magician!"

Just like that, another Spellcaster hit Yugi's field… only this one was a flesh-and-blood sorcerer, and he looked like he meant business.

**Dark Magician: 2500 ATK**

"I know what you're thinking," smirked Yugi; "Still not enough to defeat your Cydra, right? Well you should know, Magical Dimension lets me automatically destroy a Monster on your field, as soon as its summoning effect works. So say goodbye to your Cyber Twin Dragon!"

Ryo looked utterly helpless now, as his powerful wall of a Machine bit the dust.

"Now, Dark Magician, attack Ryo directly!"

As soon as the purple-cloaked magician moved in, Ryo made his next move: "I chain, Cry of the Living Dead!"

He quickly opened up the last card on his side of the field: a Trap! This one let him bring back any monster he wanted from his Graveyard, and he knew just who to call back. "Rise again, Cyber Twin Dragon!"

The two-headed Cydra was back, and as good as new. Yugi had to yell out in a gasp, "Stop attack!" which canceled out Dark Magician's attack. Has he proceeded, he would have rammed his favorite monster into a wall. Ryo's Life Points were safe.

The audience was indeed impressed; particularly the mysterious black-haired woman in the high stands.

_._

"He said 'Chain!'" cheered Fuu from the Yuki household. She remembered Manjyome's teachings well.

"That's right," he smiled proudly. He reached out and almost patted her head, then for a split second he thought it would be inappropriate, and recoiled his hand before she even knew it was there.

_._

"Well played," said Yugi to his opponent, before looking over his two cards in hand. "I'll have to end my turn."

"Fine by me," replied Ryo. "Draw!" He now had only one card in hand, and it was not one he was ready to use just yet. But it was alright by him; he had a double-attacking behemoth on the field, and Yugi seemed to be defenseless.

"Cyber Twin Dragon, attack Yugi's Dark Magician!"

There was nothing Yugi could do to stop this assault on his beloved Spellcaster.

**Yugi: 7700 LP**

It seemed as though the two-headed Cydra was just warming up; steam spewed from his mouths.

"Again, Cyber Twin. Attack Yugi, directly!"

This could have seriously damaged Yugi… had he not had a backup plan in hand. As soon as he discarded something from his hand, his field was swarming with… little brown balls of fur!?

"What in the…?" gasped Ryo. He checked the field again as soon as the smoke cleared, and was stunned to see Yugi's Life Points still at 7700 hundred. "How did you do _that_, Yugi?"

"Just now," explained Yugi, "I've drawn another one of my personal favorite cards: Kuriboh! And as soon as you attacked me directly, I sent him from my hand to the Graveyard, and that allowed me to cancel out your last attack."

_._

"Yeah! Way to go, Kuriboh!" cheered Judai as he jumped to his feet.

One of his look alike brothers then turned to him and asked, "Hey Judai, isn't that the card you claimed Yugi gave you?"

"Uh, no," he corrected Junzo; "Yugi gave me _Hane_Kuriboh!"

"What's the difference?" wondered Jou, one of the other Judai look alikes.

"Hello! There's a big difference!"

"Well," responded Jin, "let's see it then!"

"I… uh… don't have it with me."

"Liar."

"Shh!" hissed Saori nearby. "Be quiet, you guys! We're trying to watch the duel!"

.

Ryo may have been put off by Yugi's defensive wall, but he still seemed to have the upper hand. "Alright then, Yugi, I'll turn it over to you now. Let's see what you've got."

"With pleasure," said the Game King as he drew his next card. He gave his newly drawn card a look of satisfaction. "I'll set this Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."

Elsewhere, in the stands, Kaiba looked on curiously. Said he to his younger brother, "If Yugi keeps playing defense like this, he's gonna get creamed."

"I'm sure he's got a plan, Onii-san," said Mokuba optimistically. "He didn't come all this way just to get pummeled by a couple of Cydras."

"Let's hope not," groaned the older Kaiba. The thought of Yugi losing to someone other than he left a bad taste in Kaiba's mouth.

"My turn," announced Ryo. "Draw! Alright, Yugi, it's Moment of Truth Time. Let's see you pull yourself out of this one! Cyber Twin Dragon, attack!"

Not looking tired for an instant, the heavy machine opened fire on Yugi's newest defense monster. …And this time, the monster was not destroyed.

**Ryo: 7000 LP**

"Okay," blinked a stunned Ryo, "what just happened?"

Replied Yugi, "You've just rammed your dragon into my Marshmellow, that's what happened. Marshmellow can't be destroyed in battle, and what's worse: since you attacked it while it was face down, you've lost 1000 Life Points automatically."

**Marshmellow: 500 DEF**

Ryo groaned at the sight of a small, pink, wobbly ball of goo on Yugi's side of the field, which was equipped with big cartoonish eyes and an upside-down smile. "That's a marshmallow?" he replied with a raised eyebrow; "Looks more like a wad of used gum."

Yugi smirked, "Heh. That was a good one."

Then Ryo smiled back, looking like he was ready to go for the kill. "Okay Yugi, you've gotten yourself this far, but let's see how much longer you can keep it up.

"I play the Spell card Future Fusion. Now I can send any Monster required in a particular Fusion and send them straight to the Graveyard. Then, in two more of my turns, that Fusion Monster can be summoned automatically. Now pay close attention, Yugi… First, I'll take my third Cyber Dragon from my deck, then with it, I'll take four… no, six… no, **seven** other Machine monsters to my Grave!"

And so it was done; Yugi and the audience watched with a heavy gasp as Ryo's deck was thinned down dramatically.

"What!?" gasped Yugi. "Eight Monsters!? What kind of creature do you hope to bring out, Ryo?"

Said the Kaiser, "One of the deadliest Machines in all of Duel Monsters, Yugi. That's what. With just a Cyber Dragon being its only main requirement, I can then fuse it with any other Machines as I please. That will allow me to summon the one and only: Chimeratech Overdragon! …But don't you worry; you won't have to see him for two more turns. In the meantime, I'll place a card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone and end my turn."

With just one card left in his hand. Ryo seemed almost overconfident. But as long as Yugi had Marshmellow on his field, he was theoretically safe.

"My move," said Yugi as he drew his next card.

"I summon Magical Warrior- Breaker, in Attack Mode."

**Magical Warrior- Breaker: 1900 ATK**

Yugi then explained, "Breaker comes with his own effect called a Spell Counter; with it, he stands at 1900 Attack Points. But I can choose to remove that counter; and if I do, I can destroy one Spell or Trap on your side of the field. And so I'll remove Breaker's Spell Counter, and with it will go… your Cry of the Living Dead!"

Ryo gasped in fear; without his Trap, his two-headed Cydra could not stay on the field. He could only watch as both cards disintegrated before his eyes.

"Breaker," commanded Yugi, "Attack Ryo directly!"

This time, Ryo had no chance in defending himself…

**Ryo: 5400 LP**

All of the Kaiser's fans cringed in terror as he doubled over- not in pain, but in submission.

"That ends my turn. Your move," signaled Yugi.

"Right then; draw!" said Ryo in a revived tone of voice. He now had only one card in hand, but it seemed to be enough. "I'll summon Cyber Phoenix in Defense mode…"

**Cyber Phoenix: 1600 DEF**

"That ends my turn," he said almost gravely. Normally, the high-tech bird on his field with the fiery-red wing tips would protect all other Machines on his field. But this was the only Monster he had on the field, which did not seem to bode well.

By now, many of the audience members started to relax in their seats; they were expecting this duel to end quickly, and in Yugi's favor. But one woman, waving a black and red-feathered fan to her face, seemed to favor Ryo over Yugi. She awaited his comeback patiently.

_._

"I did _so_ have a Hane Kuriboh!" shouted Judai at one of his look-alikes; he and the other one were by now pulling at each others' shirt collars.

"Where is it then? Let's see it!" said the other Judai.

"I lost it on the island, you dummy! If I had it, I'd show it to you right now!"

"Boys, stop it!" cried out their mother in vain.

"Then why don't you go get another one?" asked the Judai clone.

Judai then broke away from his brother and shouted, "NO CARD will ever replace that one! You hear me? NONE! I'll never get another Hane Kuriboh as long as I live!"

Manjyome heard this and froze in stunned silence.

"Boys!" called out their mother; this time she was heard loud and clear. "If you don't stop your bickering you're gonna get stuck with all the house chores for a week!"

That was enough to convince them and bow their heads. "Sorry Mom," they said in unison.

Manjyome would stare at Judai in shock for a moment longer before turning his attention back to the taped duel.

_._

Yugi was beginning to have the upper hand in the duel. When he drew his next card, it looked like it was all over.

"Draw," said Yugi; "Chain!" replied Ryo quickly, catching Yugi completely off guard. "I activate my Trap card, _Get Ride_! Now I can revive one Union monster in my Graveyard, and equip it to a monster on my field."

"Really?" Yugi raised an eyebrow.

"Indeed," nodded Ryo. "You see, one of the monsters I've sent to the Graveyard through Future Fusion's effect was Heavy Mech Support Platform- a Union monster that can be equipped to any Machine-type monster on my field. And so, I'll bring it out and equip it to my Cyber Phoenix, and raise its Defense Points."

So it was done; Cyber Phoenix was now sitting pretty atop a blue metallic platform that looked a little like an alien spacecraft.

**Cyber Phoenix: 2100 DEF**

"And there's more," Ryo continued; "Should you have a monster strong enough to defeat my Cyber Phoenix, it will have to destroy Heavy Mech first."

"Well played," nodded Yugi, before looking closely at his cards. "…For my first move, I'll sacrifice my Breaker for Dark Magician Girl."

Boys everywhere cooed as the feminine Spellcaster with the short skirt and flowing tan hair appeared on the field with pizzazz.

**Dark Magician Girl: 2000 2300 ATK**

"Her Attack Points are raised thanks to the Dark Magician in my Grave," explain Yugi. "And now, for my next move: I'll remove a Toy Magician and my Kuriboh from my Graveyard and out of play, so that I can Special Summon one of the biggest and most powerful monsters in my deck. Rise up, Chaos Soldier- Messenger of The Beginning!"

Ryo let out a nervous gulp, as a large man in a dark suit of armor emerged from out of nowhere, with a formidable blade in hand.

**Chaos Soldier- Messenger of the Beginning: 3000 ATK**

"I only know that monster by reputation," frowned Ryo. "Is it really as powerful as they say it is?"

"I'm afraid so," Yugi frowned back. "Its effect gives me two options: I can either remove one monster on your field from play, or I can have Black Luster attack twice in a turn. For this turn though, I'm going to choose the latter. First, I'll let Dark Magician Girl take out your Heavy Mech Platform."

With a less than frightening scepter in hand, the gentle-looking Dark Magician Girl shot a bolt of lightning at Cyber Phoenix. It leapt out of the way, allowing its blue metallic platform take the hit for it.

Ryo knew what was coming next; he braced himself for it.

"Now," waved Yugi's hand, "Chaos Soldier, attack Cyber Phoenix!"

With one brush of the warrior's sword, Cyber Phoenix was no more; the slice sent a shockwave which Ryo could feel in the air.

"By destroying my Cyber Phoenix," quickly warned Ryo, "you've allowed me to draw a new card!" So he did.

"For your sake, it better be worth it… Attack Ryo now, Soldier!"

Ryo feared that this was going to hurt… and truth be told, it did.

**SWOOSH!**

"AUGH!"

**Ryo: 2400 LP**

Kaiba was watching Yugi's expressions closely; the Game King looked strained during that last attack… as if he were reluctant in doing it. Kaiba hummed to himself and raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Elsewhere in the stands, the mysterious raven-haired woman started to lose her cool for once. She muttered to herself, "This better not be over so soon…"

From the playing field, Yugi sighed, "…That ends my turn. Over to you, Ryo."

"Draw," announced the Kaiser. He looked over his two cards carefully…

"I summon Cyber Giraffe in Defense Mode."

**Cyber Giraffe: 800 DEF**

"Not much of a threat, I know," commented Ryo on his small, four-legged beast-like Machine. "But now I activate the Spell card, Machine Duplication. This Spell can be activated when I have a Monster on the field with 500 or less Attack Points. Now, since Cyber Giraffe only has 300 Attack Points, I can bring out two others with him. And they'll be set in Defense mode as well."

**Cyber Giraffes 1 and 2: 800 DEF**

Side by side stood three helpless beast-shaped Machines.

"I end my turn."

"Draw," said Yugi. "Chaos Soldier, attack two of those Giraffes."

Again, Ryo felt a shockwave as the dreaded Chaos Soldier swept through two of his monsters.

"Now, Dark Magician Girl, attack the third Cyber Giraffe."

The female Spellcaster took a far less violent approach to her victim, but now Ryo was completely defenseless again. …Or was he?

"Turn over," said Yugi. At first he gave off a look of disinterest. But then, his eyes lit up with curiosity.

Ryo was actually giggling now! Had he totally lost it? Or did he know something Yugi didn't?

"You know what I've just realized Yugi?" he said with a gleam in his teal eye. "It's been two turns since I've played Future Fusion, and that means…"

"Oh no," muttered the Game King.

"Yes," muttered back the Kaiser. "It's time for you to finally meet the most powerful Fusion monster in my deck!"

Everyone in the stands waited with held breath; some like Edo looked fearful. Others, like the mystery woman from a higher standpoint, curled her ruby red lips into a small, satisfied grin.

"Rise up, Chimeratech Overdragon!"

**FOOM!**

From a tidal wave of black smoke, the ultimate Cydra emerged. It was as big as a Duel Monster hologram could get, nearly touching three stories high. It wasn't as brightly-colored as the Cydras before it; it was coated in multiple shades of grey, with yellow mane hanging from what appeared to be seven heads. Or was it eight? Truth be told, nobody bothered to count them.

And thanks to the fact that it consumed eight Machines for its Fusion summoning, it was overflowing with power. **6400 Attack Points** worth of power, to be exact.

Yugi read the charts in disbelief. "Sixty-four… hundred…"

Kaiser nodded; "Yes. All those Attack Points came thanks to how many monsters I've sacrificed for it, multiplied by 800 points. And its special effect allows me to attack you as many times. That means, theoretically, I could pummel you eight times in this turn alone… But thanks to your Marshmellow, I'll only get two attacks in. So let's get this over with, shall we? Chimeratech! Destroy Yugi's Chaos Soldier, AND his Dark Magician Girl!"

As the attack proceeded, a certain raven-haired woman started to show fangs as she smiled.

While the action was generated through holograms, the force of Chimeratech's black laser breath was enough to blow Yugi's crane-like podium almost completely off its hinges. Yugi himself was shielding his face at the moment, but through his gritted teeth, he looked pained.

**Yugi: 200 LP**

Everyone, even Kaiba, was stunned. Most of the audience members couldn't even get a word out.

It seemed that only Edo could; "Wow… Now that… was well-played."

There was still a wall of smoke over in Yugi's corner of the playing field, when Ryo blurted out, "Turn over."

..

III

_The Marufuji Residence House, Present time_

By this time, as the daylight in the sky was beginning to falter, all was not normal at the Marufuji house. Ryo had not been seen since his great duel with Moto Yugi.

By the time dinner was placed on the table in their dining room, Sho's parents exchanged calm looks and gestures. But Sho could do no more than just stare blankly at his meal.

"Sho dear," urged his mother, "eat up. Your food's going to get cold."

"I'm sorry Mom," frowned sad-eyed the blunette. "I was just wondering to myself why Ryo hasn't called us in almost a whole day."

His father replied, "After what happened last night, he's probably swamped with promotional deals, or signing up for more duels."

"Yes," nodded Sho's mother in agreement; "It's not every day somebody gets to duel the King of Games, and your brother certainly gave him a run for his money!"

"No one has ever gotten _that_ close to beating him in such a long time," added Sho's father.

"He'll call us as soon as he gets time away from all the buzz of last night's duel."

Sho bowed his head in worry. They were talking about Ryo as if he was given Yugi's coveted crown. But that's not how he remembered it…

..

_Flashback: Championship Duel, One day earlier…_

Yugi was in serious danger of losing the duel indeed; by now, his Life Points have dropped to a critical low: 200. Meanwhile, his opponent- the Duel Kaiser as his fans called him- was way ahead with 2400 Life Points; plus, he had on his field the biggest and strongest monster Yugi had ever seen: a 6400-powered up Chimeratech Overdragon.

It was now Yugi's move. Even as he drew his new card, all seemed lost for him. And yet, despite the pressure of it all, his face remained cool and calm.

His long-time rival, Kaiba Seto, watched him closely from the stands. Kaiba was paying more attention to Yugi's expressions than what was going on in the game. He had noticed how unhappy Yugi seemed to be from the moment he walked into the arena. He was watching now, how Yugi looked over his new card and sighed.

"What's wrong, Niisan?" asked Mokuba in the seat beside his. "Is Yugi okay?"

"Oh he's fine," replied Kaiba. "But something tells me his heart's not really into this game."

"Why wouldn't it be? His crown's at stake here!"

"His crown is always at stake… but if I know Moto Yugi, I know that he only duels for fun, not for glory. …Perhaps being King of Games just isn't so fun for him anymore."

"But… But he wouldn't just throw a duel! …Would he, Niisan?"

"That's what I'm waiting to find out." Kaiba's eyes narrowed fiercely.

Finally, Yugi made his move. "I play the Spell Pot of Greed." With that, he drew two new cards by law of the spell's effect.

"Your monster is very impressive, Ryo, but I'm afraid I'll have to cut its life short."

"How do you plan to do that, Yugi?" wondered Ryo sternly.

"By playing this card: Smashing Ground. It automatically kills the monster on my opponent's field with the highest Defense Points. And since you have only one Monster…"

Kaiser's eyes flashed with surprise. "That means… My Chimeratech!"

"Is gone," concluded the Game King.

The image on "Smashing Ground" showed the fist of God Himself thrusting his fist into the earth; like the picture, the demise of Chimeratech Overdragon came like a force of God. Ryo was now wide open.

"I have no monsters left to summon," said Yugi, "so I'll set a card in the Spell and Trap Zone, and end my turn."

All he had now was Marshmellow and a face-down card. Whether it was a Spell or Trap could very well have sealed the duel's fate.

It was up to Ryo now. "Draw!" He stared at the card intently, as if asking himself if it were the right move to make. But from where everybody else was sitting, it looked like he had no other choice.

So he went for it. "I play the Spell card, Cybernetic Fusion Support! This card makes me pay half of my Life Points…"

**Ryo: 1200 LP**

"But it'll be worth it. For now, I can remove any Fusion Material monsters that are in my Graveyard from play, to summon the appropriate Fusion monster to my field. And I'll remove my three Cyber Dragons."

One by one, three white metallic Cydras graced the field for a moment, then disappeared into the mist forever.

"Now," narrowed Ryo's eyes, "I'll summon the monster who's a Fusion of all three Cyber Dragons. Come forth, Cyber End Dragon!"

**Cyber End Dragon: 4000 ATK**

Arguably, this mechanic Behemoth wasn't as fearsome as Chimeratech; however, it was just as dazzling to the eye. Like the other Cyber Dragons, it was metallic white, and with three Cydra heads- each distinctive from the others. And topping it all off was a pair of razor-sharp wings.

Ryo couldn't help but let out a smile. "I know you have your favorite monsters, Yugi; well, Cyber End Dragon is mine. And not only is he powerful, but he's also a Trampler. That means he can deal Battle Damage to your Life Points, even when your monster is in Defense Mode!"

Yugi looked worried as he looked over his field. "And my Marshmellow only has 500 Defense Points!"

"Right you are," nodded Ryo. "So… if I attack, this duel could be over, and your title of King of Games could be mine!"

Yugi glared at him sternly. "…Then what are you waiting for?"

Ryo blinked with a gasp. "Hmm… You want me to run right into that face-down card of yours, don't you?"

Yugi replied, "It's your choice, Ryo. If you think you have what it takes, then you go right ahead and attack me. But if you're that scared of a face-down card…"

Ryo balled a fist. "I'm not afraid of anything! And I'm not a fool either…"

Yugi then gave him a sincere look in his eyes. "I believe you, Ryo."

Those words seemed to have effectively relaxed Ryo's tension; he loosened up his hands and eyebrows.

"Just answer me this question, Ryo: Are you here to play a game, or win a duel?"

Ryo gulped. "…I guess… I'm here for both."

Yugi nodded. "Then make your move."

"…Right then." Ryo aimed his finger at the weakly pink goo on Yugi's field. "Cyber End Dragon, attack Marshmellow!"

Cyber end Dragon's three heads blew a wind of electric shock across the field with the force of a lightning bolt, toward the trembling Marshmellow.

"I chain: Magic Cylinder!"

Ryo's worst fear was confirmed: Yugi had a Trap set. And this one was going to cost him dearly…

"I can now negate the attack on my monster, and redirect that attack on you!"

"No…!"

It happened so fast that some members of the audience would say they didn't even see it happen. But it did happen; the bolt of blue lightning exhaled by Cyber End Dragon took a dramatic U-turn across the field and struck Ryo's red podium.

**Ryo: 0 LP**

Ryo was man enough to take the hit without ducking, or even flinching. But there was a glare of shock in his eyes; he felt he should have seen it coming, but somehow he didn't.

After a moment of silence, the audience roared.

"_Ladies and gentlemen,"_ boomed a voice of a megaphone, _"the duel is over! Our challenger, Marufuji Ryo, has been defeated; Moto Yugi remains the undefeated King of Games!"_

.

The majority of the audience gave the players a standing ovation; meanwhile, a black-haired woman was beginning to make a quick exit, followed by a line of gentlemanly-suited escorts.

She muttered to herself, "I do hope His Excellency is still interested in that boy…"

.

Meanwhile, Ryo and Yugi were allowed to share a moment off stage together, no longer as rivals. They shook hands peacefully while an array of paparazzi showered them with camera flashes.

"I'm really sorry I had to do that to you, Ryo," Yugi apologized with a look of sorrow in his eyes.

"What do you mean?" asked the younger boy.

"I really thought you had me back there, and… to tell you the truth, I was sort of hoping you would beat me."

"Huh?" Ryo looked puzzled.

Yugi explained, "You've got something in you I haven't seen in an opponent in a long time. It's a kind of passion that I… well I thought I was losing in myself."

"Hmm," Ryo's head glanced downward.

"Well," shrugged Yugi, "in any case, I look forward to our next game."

Ryo then looked back up at him, and smiled with a nod. "So do I. And be careful; next time, I might just win."

"We'll see," Yugi smiled back. Then the two of them continued to pose for the press cameras.

..

_Present Time_

The memories of the duel were fresh in Sho's mind, but one thing was still puzzling him as he tapped his food with his fork.

"_Ryo may be busy with the press and all, but the least he could have done by now was call us… Where could he be?"_

_.._

The many children of the Yuki family were still flocking from all directions toward the dining room to eat dinner that evening. One of them was pacing much slower than the others, and came to a halt when he heard his name being called out: "Judai."

He turned around and there in the hallway stood Manjyome, leaning against the wall with arms crossed. He had a certain domineering look in his eye; a look that Judai was all too familiar with.

"Yes?" blinked Judai curiously.

"What you said earlier… about not wanting any more Winged Kuribohs… Is it true?"

"I…" Judai hung his head in shame. "I don't know."

"Have you lost your connection with Duel Spirits entirely?"

"I dunno… Why, Manjyome? Why does it concern you?"

Manjyome leaned forward. "You're not the same guy I met at Duel Academy, are you?"

Judai took a defensive step back. "What's _that_supposed to mean?"

"You're just not him, Judai… Something's different; something's _missing_."

Judai gave a faint nod. "…Yeah. …Something's missing, alright."

"Boys! Dinner!" came a motherly voice from the dining room.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" Judai suggested as he resumed his pace toward the dining room.

"Fine," was all Manjyome could say, letting Judai pass him by. He kept an eye on his former rival, wondering to himself when they would ever have a real heart-to-heart talk.

_.._

All was quiet and peaceful at the Yuki residence that night.

Especially since it was now just past midnight; unlike the previous evening, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, which allowed the stars and crescent moon to shine brighter than ever.

Only three people were able to have one room in the house all to themselves. Manjyome, of course, took residence down in the basement; little Yumi and Fuu had their own separate rooms. Meanwhile, the quadruplets had two sets of bunk beds in one room, and just across from theirs was the room belonging to the triplets.

Everyone seemed to be in a coma-like sleep that night… which was perfect, for a certain spirit to wander nonchalantly into the residence. She came in the form of a gentle but chilly breeze, one that was all too easily ignored by the sleeping mortals.

For reasons all her own, she chose the littlest one's room to wander into. The chilly air tiptoed gracefully over the pink carpet, passing by a few scattered stuffed animals. Then at last, it came to a sudden stop at the side of the bed.

The chilly air then faded into a transparent apparition of a white-haired woman dressed in a midnight blue gown. Only one other person in the house would have seen her before. But Manjyome was no longer an interest to her- at least, not for the moment.

Now she had a new interest.

Fuu had a pleasant smile on her face; she was perhaps dreaming of being in the Duel Monsters Pro League, competing against the big guns like Yugi and Kaiser Ryo.

The ghostly figure then glanced over to the small drawer next to the bed. A deck of Duel Monster cards piled neatly there, and it was just within arm's reach of the sleeping child, as if she were to reach out and grab it at any given moment, ready to duel. This seemed to please the intruder.

The pale-skinned apparition touched the sleeping child's forehead, but did not in the least disturb her sleep.

"That's right, child. Keep dreaming your dreams… I'll take it from here."

That was all she had to say; in the next instant, she seemed to be gone…

But then, Fuu opened her eyes. They were a hollow brown. She cracked a cold, malevolent smile.

And then vanished into thin air.

_.._

Not everyone was content with sleep that night. While his little brother Mokuba slept like an angel in his room, the older Kaiba was too distracted with his financial bind to even consider napping.

He and Pegasus seemed to have come to an agreement, that the only way Kaiba Corp. could get out of debt was to merge with their long-time rival, Industrial Illusions. By now, despite the late hours, Pegasus' associates were already faxing their contract, page by page.

Kaiba watched it being sent from a chair by his desk, like a mindless zombie.

"_This seems so below me,"_ he began to think to himself. _"Pegasus wasn't always my ally, but I can see how much I'll benefit from this merger….._ If_I decide to go through with it."_

Apparently, he was having his doubts.

"_I'm so used to relying on no one other than myself for help. I bought out my own stepfather's company, after all! Why now should I depend on someone I hardly even trust?"_

"Maybe you should trust your instincts instead."

"Huh?"

Kaiba snapped out of his trance long enough to hear the voice of a little girl behind him. He spun around in his chair, and sure enough, there standing before him was a tiny red-headed girl wearing nothing more than a long yellow night gown. She stared at him with brown, hollow eyes.

He was stunned. "What the…!? Who are you? How did you get here!?"

"Kaiba," said the small child in a cold voice, "I have been watching you for a while now, and I think it's time we dueled, you and I."

"Who the hell are you, little girl?"

"I am the Angel who is summoned at The End of The World."

"…..I don't get it."

"You will, soon. But I grow tired of waiting. Let us duel now."

"You? Duel me?" _"Am I dreaming!?"_

"I assure you, High Priest, you will _wish_ this was a dream before it's all over."

Kaiba jumped up from his seat, paling with fear.

The little girl cracked a wicked smile. "That's right. Cower in fear. You're about to get just a taste of the doom which is to come."

Meanwhile, the atmosphere all around them was being covered in complete darkness. It was as if they were being magically transported into another dimension.

Kaiba's heart stopped for a moment. He had seen forbidding darkness like this before… This could have only meant one thing.

This was going to be a Yami no Duel.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Chapter: **Falling To Ruin  
**

Featured Duel: **Kaiba Seto vs. Fuu/Spirit (Continued)**

**.**

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

**Football:** The game of football referred to here is the sport known in America as soccer.

**Yami no Duel:** Dark duel, Duel of Darkness, or "Shadow Game" as it's called in English.

As you may have guessed, I've gone with the original Japanese names for just about all of the cards here. I tend to do this for the entire series. If a list of card translations is necessary, feel free to leave such comments.

Also, as of this chapter's original post, "Toy Magician" is a Japanese-only card for now, but I've gotten its effect wrong. It can only be special summoned from the Graveyard via Spell and Trap Zone destruction, and ONLY in the End Phase. This fic's alteration could, however, probably fit the anime's gameplay. But I wanted to clear that up for you all.


	6. Falling To Ruin

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Six: "Fallen To Ruin"**

I

Sho had wondered what had become of his brother one day after his historic duel with Moto Yugi. Typically, his brother Ryo would contact his family whether he won a duel or not. But there was sound reason why he didn't do it this time…

..

Ryo found himself, later that night, in a restaurant with a few of his fellow professional duelists. They, his would-be friends, decided to throw a small party on his behalf for at least winning the chance to duel with the greatest duelist on earth, and he was quite appreciative of their gesture. During their dinner, they broke out into random talks of previous duels and laughed at their encounters with zany opposing monsters. But as elite as their table was, they were not alone. And their gathering was about to be interrupted.

Said one duelist with anti-gravity spiky blue hair, "Now you had more than eight monsters, didn't you Ryo? You coulda tossed out just one more for that Chimeratech and blow Yugi away! Right?"

"Well," replied a tired-looking Ryo, "I didn't want to waste all my monsters, in case I needed them… And besides, I wasn't really that intent on winning."

"What?" gasped the four gentlemen at his table; one of them nearly choked on the drink he was chugging down.

"Not intent on winning?" replied a duelist with long pink hair. "That's silly; everybody wants to win!"

"Yeah," said a less flashy companion, "wouldn't you wanna be King of Games? That's the title all of us are striving for. I mean, why are you even in this business if you don't wanna beat Yugi?"

"It's not about beating Yugi," Ryo calmly replied. "In fact, it's not even about winning for me. I play because I like surprises, and nothing surprises me more than an opponent who can beat me."

"But Ryo," said the blue-haired one, "you're never beat. Never."

"I was beat once," Ryo softly disagreed; "that kid Edo Phoenix beat me once, remember?"

The group paused to remember who he was talking about. "Oh," said the less flashy one, "that kid with the silver hair. Oh, sure, he got lucky just one time and then he just disappeared off the face of the Earth! Big deal."

"Yeah," agreed the pink-haired one, "nobody even talks about him anymore. Hey Ryo, what you need to do is go back to the beginning, and pick off all those newbies in First Year. You're looking at a lifetime of publicity; you can't afford to lose now."

Up until now, the bald-headed fifth duelist with rippling arms and sunglasses over his eyes was silent; "Nobody wants to sign on a loser," he finally said.

Ryo lowered his head with a frown. "You guys just don't get it…"

"Of course they don't get it," came a voice unknown to them, away from the table.

Everyone at the table perked their heads up in curiosity, and saw that a mysterious bespectacled man dressed in a black suit, cape and top hat was walking their way.

As he walked rhythmically with a cane, he grinned, "There is no honor in this sport anymore, is there gentlemen? It's all about money and endorsements anymore; no real battling between real foes as there should be."

When he at last came to their table, the casual-looking pro duelist spat at the stranger; "Hey! This is a private table, buddy. Reservations only."

"Oh, do excuse me," replied the bespectacled gentleman. He then extended his right hand which held tightly to a calling card. "The name is Monkey Saruyama, of the Saruyama League. Here, my card."

Without hesitating, Ryo clamped onto the card instinctively and examined it.

The blue-haired one glanced at the card just once; "What are you, some kind of endorser?" he asked.

The stylishly dressed man replied, "I am an agent of duelists in my own right; I own my own dueling ring, though I usually tend to keep it out of the public eye."

"An agent, huh?" peeped Ryo.

"And why," wondered the blue-haired duelist, "would you wanna keep it all a secret, Monkey-man?"

The man in the top hat glanced Ryo's way as he replied, "The public is allowed to watch our duels if they please; it's the press that I disallow at my games. You see, gentlemen, the Duelist Pro League is far too focused on turning their members into celebrities."

"Well," argued the casual-looking duelist, "how else do they expect to make money?" His company, aside from Ryo, giggled.

The tall, older man shook his head while maintaining his patient smile. "The money they make is all that matters to them; but like you've said, as soon as a duelist in their league loses, then he has no future. He's thrown into the streets like an old shoe, and I'm sure that's not something you gentlemen would like to have happen to you. My league, on the other hand, pays even its losers well. The difference is that the press doesn't reap any profits from that loser's humiliation. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"You're saying," said Ryo, "that even those who lose in your games get paid a lot of money?"

The man in black nodded, "Of course. Our audience doesn't care about who wins or loses, as long as they're given a good show."

"…An underground dueling league?" said the nearly silent one. "I dunno, that sounds a little illegal to me."

"Yeah," agreed the blue-haired one. "How do we know you're not trying to pull some kind of scheme on us?"

"There is nothing illegal at all about my ring," denied the man in black; "it's simply just not open to the press, that's all. It's like any other league other than that. Although I'm quite sure I pay my duelists much better than that pro league held under Kaiba's investments."

"You're joking," said the casual-looking one. "Nobody's got more money than Kaiba- not in this country, anyway."

"That's because Kaiba's not secretive about his fortunes. He likes to flaunt what he's got."

"Alright, Mister Monkey-man," growled the blue-haired one as he lifted himself up from the table to stare down the mystery man in the face; "you come up here unannounced and uninvited, telling us about this great underground ring you got, so what exactly are you selling us here?"

"Yeah," added the pink-haired one. "You want us to join up or something? Forget it; we're paid good money in the Pro League, and they treat us better than you say so. We're not leaving!"

The man in black then looked down, at the one duelist dressed mainly in white with blue lining in his jacket, with the green-bluish hair. He grinned slyly at the young man, "I just came here to personally congratulate Marufuji Ryo on a wonderful duel with Moto Yugi. In fact, I'd like to reward you with a little present of my own."

The gentleman then handed Ryo a small envelope; "What's this?" asked the younger man.

The black-suited man smiled, "You may open it in your own time, but do think of it as my gratitude for a fine performance today."

"Look pal," growled the casually dressed duelist as he balled his fists; "you think you can buy Ryo just 'cause he got to duel Yugi? Well lemmie tell ya something, Mister: Ryo's got more class than that. He don't sell out to anybody."

"Yeah," added the blue-haired one; "So take your stuffed shirt and fancy pants and get the hell out of here, or we'll throw you out!"

"Alright, alright," said the mysterious man as he took a step back defensively. "Clearly I've overstepped my boundaries, so I'll leave..."

He then turned around. "But if any of you wish to check out my ring for yourselves, my door is always open. The address is written right there on my calling card. I'll leave you gentlemen to your dinner now. Goodnight." Then he calmly walked himself toward the front door, and just like that he was gone.

Now relaxed, the duelists sat back down at the table. The casually dressed one patted Ryo's back, saying, "You can't trust nobodies like that, Ryo. He's just trying to take advantage of your popularity. Don't let 'im."

"Yeah," said the pink-haired one; "he's just a phony. If he's so well off in his own ring, then he shouldn't have to come begging to us for more clients. What a loser."

The others nodded in agreement, but Ryo's curiosity about the man wouldn't fade away. Although he was wise enough to keep his curiosities to himself, he couldn't help but stare down at the envelope that was just given to him.

Meanwhile, the man known as Monkey had walked right up to a long black limousine that stood right in front of the restaurant he had walked out of, and climbed into it.

As the limo drove off, Monkey sat comfortably in the farthest seat in the car, but he was not alone. Opposite him sat a woman- the same elegantly dressed woman who watched Ryo's latest duel from the highest balcony of the arena.

"So how did it go, Mr. Monkey?" she asked him.

Monkey replied, "I gave him the cards, Madam, just as you've told me to."

The woman seemed pleased; "Excellent. Now we just wait it out until he comes to us."

"Are you sure he will, Madam?"

"Oh, trust me Mr. Monkey; once he gets a taste of what our 'present' can do, he'll be at our doorstep with bells on. Hmph." She then grinned a cunning, evil grin.

_.._

It was well past midnight when Ryo was finally getting tired, so his duelist friends offered him a small apartment to spend the night in. Seeing how he didn't want to wake up his family, he took their offer.

When he had settled in, he placed his deck on the small table beside his bed, and as he unpacked his belongings, he noticed a small envelope pop out of his coat pocket and trickled down to the floor. He remembered this as the gift given to him by the strange man at the restaurant. Curiously, he picked it up.

He sat down on the edge of his rented bed and unraveled the envelope, and to his surprise, it was a Duel Monster card.

"Huh?" he peeped out loud as he read the text atop the card: "…Brain Jacker?"

It was a low-level Demon-type monster, appearing to have one eye with a long socket, a gross, gray body shaped like a brain, and four tiny claws attached to brown husky wings. It had a Flip Effect: "Equip this card to a monster on your opponent's field. Take control of the equipped monster. Increase your opponent's Life Points by 500 during his or her standby phases."

Ryo mused at this strange gift; "Heh. He must think I need this in my deck. Well, I think my deck's fine just as it is…"

But he wasn't rude enough to just throw the card away; instead, he set it beside his deck of cards just before he turned in.

But while he was sleeping the rest of the night off, he couldn't know that the Brain Jacker had a mind and soul of its own. It was, in fact, the host of its own Duel Spirit. Instinctively, it crawled right out of its card, glanced around with its one ghoulish eye, then sniffed out its prey. There, standing before it, was a whole deck of cards just waiting for it to feast on. Quickly it scurried over and plunged head first into Ryo's Cyber Dragon deck…

_.._

Meanwhile, in a dark void where his office once stood, Kaiba was sure that he was losing his mind.

One minute, he was sitting down and watching faxes pour in from Industrial Illusions, when all of a sudden this small red-headed girl in a yellow night gown pops in out of nowhere, asking him for a duel, and then all the lights go out! Now he was standing in almost total darkness, standing opposite of the strange girl. Her eyes were glazed, and the rest of her face was free of all emotion. She almost looked like a ghost.

"This can't be real," he muttered, as he glanced around nervously at the endless darkness. "I must be dreaming."

The little girl spoke up in a tone of voice that sounded far more mature than it should have been. "Surely, Kaiba, you have not forgotten about the Yami no Duels; the duels which take place between the mortal realm and the spirit world. You've experienced them before, back when humans still had magic talismans at their disposal."

"How are you doing this?" he asked with a certain tremor in his eyes.

"Have you forgotten about your past, Kaiba?" asked the glaze-eyed child. "Did you forget that you were once part of a powerful family of pharaohs in ancient Egypt, three thousand years ago? And that they too summoned Duel Monsters at their whim?"

He hissed at her; it was all he could do, while her words were sending chills down his spine.

"It would not have been without those magic talismans… what were they called again? Ah yes, 'Millennium Items.' Cost about a thousand souls, didn't they? But it was well worth it, wasn't it? Except for that _one_ creature that came about it, born of those lost eaten souls- he nearly destroyed the whole world in one night. What was his name again? Zinc? Zark?"

"Zorc," he muttered under his breath.

"Ah, right! Zorc, the Dark Master! …He came back to haunt you in _this_ life, didn't he?" she grinned sinisterly.

"Wait. How do you know about Zorc? Or about me!?" Kaiba demanded to know.

"It doesn't matter. _Zorc_ no longer matters; he was destroyed for good along with the Millenium Items that created him. I'm just helping you jog your memories so you'll be prepared for what's next."

"Enough of this!" he growled and waved his arm at her. "Let's duel and be done with it!"

"As you wish."

To each of them, a duel disk magically appeared. Neither one seemed phased by this.

**DUEL!**

**Kaiba: 8000**

**Fuu: 8000**

Kaiba started; "Draw… I summon Kaibaman in Attack mode."

**Kaibaman: 200 ATK**

The girl raised her eyebrow to the Warrior dressed in a long white jacket and donning a Blue-Eyes White Dragon mask/helmet.

"Yes," he said; "I know he doesn't look like much, but with his effect I can trade him in to special summon a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand! Now I'll activate the effect… and bring out my big guns. Rise, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

She, the metallic-white behemoth that very few had seen in person, came forth in a flash of white light and an ear-piercing roar…

**Blue-Eyes White Dragon: 3000 ATK**

"Next turn," sneered Kaiba, "you'll wish you hadn't challenged me. Turn over."

"Draw!" exclaimed Fuu, drawing her sixth card. "Excellent," she grinned as she observed her hand; "I've drawn the child's favorite monster."

Kaiba looked on curiously; "Huh?"

"I summon Misty, the Mystical Elf, in Defense Mode!"

**Mystical Elf: 2000 DEF**

"Kaiba," grinned the glazed-eyed girl, "you're not the only one with a special bond with his monsters. Although, it does intrigue me how after all these centuries you're still very attached to that dragon."

"Quit talking nonsense," demanded her challenger.

"It's not nonsense," she calmly replied. "You know it's not nonsense; you know I speak the truth. You and Kisara the White Dragon go way back, when-"

"WHAT did you call her!?" he screamed in shock.

Unfazed by his reaction, the girl's expression remained stilled and cold. "…Nevermind. Clearly, you're not yet ready for the whole truth." She then calmly proceeded with her turn. "I place three cards face down in the Spell and Trap Zone and end my turn." She was then left with just two cards in hand, and four on the field.

"Draw," said Kaiba; he now had five cards in hand. When he observed his hand, he knew now was the time to pull off all his moves.

"I set two cards down," he said; two oversized virtual cards appeared on the field face down in the Spell and Trap Zone.

He eyed her Defense mode monster. " Next,I summon Blood Vors in Attack Mode."

**Blood Vors: 1900 ATK**

The Beast-Warrior stood upright with a curved sword and a horned helmet, snarling with long fangs stretching out from a twisted half-human face.

"Now," hissed Kaiba, "you've talked a big game so far, kid; let's see you back it up. Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack: **Horobi no Burst Stream**!"

Although she had three face-down cards, not one of them was triggered to his attack, much to Kaiba's surprise. He watched as his dragon's lightning-forced breath cut right through the small kneeling elf.

The girl remained emotionless, which made his jaws clench together. She was definitely planning something…

"Blood Vors, attack! **Berserker Slash**!"

The Beast-man lifted up his sword and swung it through the air; it unleashed a wave of pure energy which zipped right by the three face-down cards and swept right through the girl.

**Fuu: 8000 6200 LP**

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Not one of those Traps of yours worked?" he wondered out loud.

The girl replied, "Patience, Kaiba-san. You might not like them once they do activate."

"Whatever," he sneered. "My turn is now over."

"At last," she said as she drew her new card; "Now this duel will get interesting."

She observed the three cards in her hand. "…Oh my… I knew this was coming, but I didn't realize how soon."

"What are you getting at, kid?" blinked Kaiba curiously.

"Tell me Kaiba," she asked, "how many Blue-Eyes White Dragons are there in the world?"

"Four," he replied. "One belongs to Yugi, and it's no longer playable. The rest are right here with me, in my deck. …Why do you ask?"

"So," she replied, "only three could ever truly bee seen in a duel then. At least, that's how it would be in your world."

"_My _world?" gasped Kaiba. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Haven't you realized by now, Kaiba-san? We're no longer in your world. We're standing right on the edge of reality, and here all things are possible."

"That's nonsense!" growled Kaiba. "Just because you look scary and turned out all the lights, it doesn't make you a shadow duelist!"

The girl grinned a smile so innocent, it was truly frightening. "I never said I was a shadow duelist, Kaiba."

"What are you saying? …Who are you!?"

She giggled softly.

"Answer me!" he demanded harshly.

"I already told you who I am," replied the possessed child; "I am the Angel who is summoned at the End of The World."

"That doesn't make any sense."

"Not right now it doesn't, but you'll see… But for now, let me give you a demonstration of just how serious I am. You see, Kaiba, since this is no longer your reality, then I can summon just about any monster I want, no matter how rare they are in your world. And the card I've just drawn will help me achieve my goal. Behold! I play Ancient Rule; this Spell card allows me to special summon a monster from my hand that is Level 5 or higher."

"So you're going to summon something that can destroy my Blue-Eyes?" gulped Kaiba.

"Worse," she grinned. "I am going to summon my very own Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"Wh… WHAT!?"

"You cannot possibly doubt me now, Kaiba. Rise, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Kaiba watched with wide eyes as his very own white-metallic dragon with the sapphire eyes appeared in all her glory… on the other side of the field!

**Blue-Eyes White Dragon: 3000 ATK**

While Kaiba was frozen in utter terror and shock, his small opponent couldn't help but burst into an evil fit of laughter.

.

II

As the child began to laugh maniacally, Kaiba's nerves started to crack as he stared into the crystal blue eyes of the opposing white dragon. "No… it can't be! It's impossible!"

Then the child's laughter stopped, and her expression turned cold again. "…Impossible?" she blinked. "Yes, for your world perhaps! But we are now on the borderline between your world and mine. In this realm, all monster cards are limitless!"

"What are you talking about, kid?"

"Listen very closely to me, Kaiba Seto: I am not so young as you think I am. In fact, I'm not even human… You and I come from two different worlds. Your place is here, in the mortal realm, the land of the living. But I come from the other side; the spirit world. For eons, my kind has been able to cross over from one plain to the other, but until now those crossovers have been fairly harmless. Kaiba, the duel monsters that you so covet are now threatening your world."

"What!?"

"Ever since Zorc's destruction, his minions have been battling over dominance of the netherworld. But you see, for some of them just ruling the netherworld just isn't enough. They want more!"

"No!"

"They want _your_ world, Kaiba!"

"You LIE!"

The girl's hollow brown eyes narrowed. "Kaiba," she said in a much darker tone, "you cannot deny yourself, not after all that you've already seen. Observe, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon on my field! How is it possible if there are only three white dragons in the world, and you own all three!?"

With that, his attention was forced back on the dragon he loved so much, and believed to be so rare, on his opponent's field. It let out a defiant roar that pierced his senses.

"Unless I speak the truth?" she added, keeping her dark tone of voice.

"No…" He palmed his face. "…This can't be happening. Not again… I thought I was done with these nightmares."

Her voiced then softened. "This is no nightmare, Kaiba. This is destiny."

He glanced up at her with trembling hands. "…What do you want from me?"

"You were brought back to life for a reason, Kaiba: to ensure the safety of this realm. And because of the war waging in my world, that safety is now under threat again. You must be ready to take action."

"Then, if you're on my side, why are you challenging me to this duel?"

"This is just a test, Kaiba, to see if you are still worthy of becoming king… or perhaps you're meant to pass the crown to another. Either way, this duel is nothing compared to the dangers your enemies may put you through! And if you still don't believe me, then maybe this will stomp out your doubts! Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack Blood Vors! **Horobi no Burst Stream!**"

The opposing Blue-Eyes was about to strike her own breath of lightning, when-

"CHAIN!" hollered Kaiba in panic. "First I activate Shrink, and use it on my own Blood Vors. It cuts his Attack Points in half."

**Blood Vors: 950 ATK**

"If you're confused by my move," Kaiba added, "it's because I'm now activating my other face-down card: _Deck Destruction Virus of Death_! Once my Dark monster is destroyed, and because it has less than a thousand Attack Points, the Trap card will destroy your monster. And what's worse, it will knock out all monsters in your deck that have over fifteen-hundred Attack Points."

"Nice move Kaiba," the girl replied; "any other time that move might work. However, it's not going to work this time! I chain my _Trap Jammer_ on your Virus!"

The middle card in her Spell and Trap Zone then flipped up, revealing the image of a bear trap being disintegrated within a purple spell circle. And just like that bear trap, Kaiba watched his own Trap card disintegrate before his eyes.

"Oh no!" he gasped in horror.

"Oh yes," nodded the girl. "You've just cut down your monster for nothing. Blue-Eyes, proceed with the attack! Burst Stream!"

It didn't take long for the Beast-Warrior to get wiped out of all existence by the white dragon's lightning breath.

**Kaiba: 8000- 5950 LP**

Although the force of the attack didn't actually hurt him on a physical standpoint, Kaiba couldn't help but grab his chest and double over, purely out of shock.

The girl gave him a moment to regain his composure, before asking, "It hurts, doesn't it? Being attacked by your own beloved Kisara?"

"Stop calling her that, you little…" he hissed underneath his breath.

"I'm sorry," she replied with a smile; "I didn't mean to upset you just now. But that _is_ her name, after all."

"Duel Monsters have no names," frowned Kaiba angrily. "They have no souls, no personalities. They're just cards!"

"You didn't always think that way, Kaiba-san."

He clenched his fist furiously. "Stop it!" he snarled. "Even if I _was_ in Egypt three thousand years ago, why should that matter now? I never think of the past; I only look to the future!"

"But how could you know where you're going if you don't think of how you got there?" was her answer. He paused in his surprise, allowing her to go on; "Kaiba, we all have a path to follow in life. You have the freedom to choose which turns to make, but what really matters is looking back at past mistakes and learning from them. Haven't you learned that from the Former Pharoah yet?"

"The Former Pharoah…" muttered Kaiba. Then he realized who she was talking about, and his eyes widened. "You mean Yugi- no, his _other_ self, Atem!"

"Yes," nodded the girl. "And just so that we're clear, Yugi_is_ about to be the Former King."

"What?"

"The King is growing tired, Kaiba; his heart is weary, and he is rapidly losing his grip on the balance of our worlds."

"Are you saying… Yugi's Game King title is tied with the spirit world!?"

"Of course it is," smiled the possessed child. "Although the way the game is played has changed over the centuries, the fact remains that 'Duel Monsters' is the only connection left between your world and mine. Therefore, whoever is master of the game is master of his own realm. And since Yugi-san no longer wants to be Game King, then his throne will be up for grabs… even to Duel Monsters themselves. And that is why they are trying to cross over."

"To take his crown, and then…" Kaiba could hardly believe the words seeping out of his mouth; instantly, he ruffled his hair in disbelief. "This is insane! I don't even believe what the hell I'm saying! You're messing with my head now, kid!"

"It's your turn," she said nonchalantly.

"Huh?"

"You want to finish this duel, don't you? Then make your next move."

"Fine… Draw!"

The shadow duel was now in Turn Three. So far, Kaiba's small but spooky opponent had the upper hand with a Blue-Eyes on her field, and two face-down cards in the Spell and Trap Zone, which she had set on her first turn.

Meanwhile, he had just wasted his best Spell and Trap combo on his Blood Vors, which went awry when the little girl chained her Trap Jammer on his Crush Virus. He had his own Blue-Eyes White Dragon on the field, but to suicide it with his opponent's could jeopardize him for sure.

**Kaiba: 5950 LP**

**Fuu: 8000 LP**

It was now his turn again, and he had three cards in hand. At least two of them could prove useful this turn. But something else was troubling him.

"Tell me this, whoever you are," Kaiba said abruptly, "if you really aren't human, then why do you look like a little girl?"

"Ah," smiled the strange opponent, "I'm glad you asked me that. You see, Kaiba, since I'm from the other side then I'm not allowed to take physical form and directly interfere with your kind. If I tried to, I could potentially sever the barrier between our worlds, thus risking complete oblivion. But I just _have_ to see for myself if you could still stand up to the monsters from my world; so I have taken up residence in this small child's body for just this one time."

"So you're really a ghost?" blinked Kaiba, "and that girl is really possessed?"

"She's perfectly safe," nodded the opponent, "if you're so concerned. Though if I were you, I'd be more concerned for myself. Heh."

"Then… that deck you're using," he assumed, "is really no better than a beginner's deck."

"Oh, I've made my own little improvements on it. But I can see you're catching onto my strategy, Kaiba. You're probably catching on that I've used nothing but Normal Monsters so far. I've always admired that about you."

"…_Alright,"_ he thought to himself._"Get a grip, Seto… Let's just assume this is all real, that this is a shadow game with a ghost of some kind… It can't end in death, it just can't. All I have to do is stay focused… Yes, of course. Normal Monsters pale in comparison to those with Effects. All I have to do now is draw one…"_

"I play the Spell _Graceful Charity_. It allows me to draw three cards, then forces me to send two to the Graveyard."

The spooky opponent gave him a nod of approval, and he drew three new cards.

"Excellent," he purred as he observed the five cards in hand. "I'll send my two Blue-Eyes in my hand to the card Graveyard."

"Ooo," replied the wide-eyed opponent. "A bold move; why toss away your best monsters?"

"Because," he said defiantly, "with their help, I can now play my Spell Card, _Dragon's Mirror!_"

The opponent gasped in surprise; perhaps he finally broke through her strategy at last.

"By having two Blue-Eyes in the Grave, and one on the field, I can remove all three of them from play and summon their Fusion form. So prepare yourself, ghoul-girl, for Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

The souls of Kaiba's three Blue-Eyes White Dragons shot out from beyond the grave like fireworks. In mid-air, they swirled together until they were nothing more than a beam of bright light. Then from out of that light emerged a completely different dragon; one twice as tall as a normal Blue-Eyes, with three heads instead of one and sporting sky-blue scales. Atop each of its heads was a mark similar to the stripe patterns of a tiger.

**Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon: 4500 ATK**

He then aimed his finger in the direction of the opposing Blue-Eyes. "You may have your own Blue-Eyes, girly, but it's no match for the Ultimate Dragon! You're finished! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack: **Neutron Blast**!"

The ultimate Dragon aimed its three heads at the opponent, and fired all at once with the same electric force as a normal Blue-Eyes- only now it was like three Blue-Eyes shooting at once.

It would have been the end for the girl for sure, had not she muttered the following word: "Chain."

**FOOM!**

A stream of smoke filled both sides of the field, and when some of it cleared, Kaiba was truly devastated.

"WHAT!?"

Here, his own dragon had been blown off the field in an explosion, while the opposing Blue-Eyes sat pretty and unscathed.

"No! …No, it can't be! How did she survive!?"

That's when he realized that standing in front of the girl was a face-up Trap card, one she had triggered during the attack! Its image was that of a shadowed figure redirecting a bolt of lightning on other figures surrounding him.

The little girl smirked. "Heh! Did you honestly think that defeating me was _that_ easy, Kaiba-san? I'm afraid not; I've activated my _Justi-Break_! It negates an attack dealt to a Normal Monster on my field; not only that, but it also destroys every Monster that isn't Normal. And since your Ultimate Dragon was a Fusion Monster, then it too felt the full force of my trap."

Kaiba's mouth gaped at his now empty monster field. But after a moment of speechless shock, he quickly regained his composure. Even though his last remaining cards in his hand weren't enough to destroy the opposing Blue-Eyes, they could at least buy him some time.

"I set one card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone, and then I summon Giant Germ in Defense Mode."

**Giant Germ: 100 DEF**

"I end my turn," cringed Kaiba. _"My face-down Polymerization,"_ he thought, _"won't be enough to stop that Blue-Eyes, but the least I could do is bluff her into not attacking. And even if she does, that will give me two more monsters. …I just hope it will be enough."_

"It won't be," said the girl, much to Kaiba's surprise. "My turn. Draw!"

Kaiba was still beside himself after hearing what she had just said. "Oh yes," said the girl, "I can read your mind. I can do many things you're not aware of. But fear not; your curiosity regarding my true identity will at last be revealed, and it's all thanks to this card: Manju God!"

Suddenly, Kaiba was staring down a crystallized Indian myth-style angel with perhaps ten thousand arms exactly.

**Manju God: 1400 ATK**

Said the spooky girl then, "Now that Manju has been summoned to the field in the normal fashion, I can use his effect. He lets me move either a Ritual Spell card or Ritual Monster card from my deck to my hand."

"A Ritual card?" asked Kaiba softly.

"Yes," replied the girl in an excited tone, before she went to work on moving one card from her deck to her hand.

Her move then proceeded: "Now, I will play the very card that I've just drawn. I play the ritual Spell entitled, _'End of The World.'_ You know how this goes, Kaiba; I must sacrifice monsters either on my field or my hand so that their Level star number equals the Level number of my Ritual monster. And I choose to sacrifice my Blue-Eyes for it. That totals eight stars, which is perfect for my eight-star Ritual monster…"

Then, the monster she affectionately called Kisara disappeared from the field in a puff of stardust. Then, just as it had shown in "End of the World's" picture, the sky itself became patterned in blue and white, and started to distort as if it were liquefying.

As he observed the strange change of scenery, Kaiba's wonder started to give way to rational thought. "End of the World," he muttered to himself. Then it hit him like a rock: "Wait a minute! You said-"

"YES!" hissed the girl with a most evil-looking smile. "You remember what I've said earlier! You know what's coming then; I am about to summon _myself_ to the field!"

Kaiba's mouth gaped; he had has his fair amounts of shock by now, but this one was about to take the cake.

The girl's voice began to split into two as a white aura encircled her body. As she held out her arms she said, "With the power of the Ritual Spell, I may now separate myself from this human form, and step onto the Monster Zone as my true self. For I am… the **Goddess of Ruin**!"

Then just like that, the ghostly figure tore away from the girl with ease. The human child fell unconscious and fell on her bottom, but she was otherwise unscathed by the event. Meanwhile, the ghostly figure stepped out onto the field, still clouded by white but only for a moment longer.

Then, her true self faded in. She was, in truth, the same ghostly woman with the long white hair, sickly pale skin, icy blue lips and cold-hearted stare that had been following Manjyome Jun around. Only this time, she was dressed in a scantly-cut red dress and bearing a long scythe-like staff. She was in her real element now, and she couldn't look more content.

**Goddess of Ruin: 2300 ATK**

She giggled softly and mischievously.

"I don't believe it," Kaiba said to himself. "All this time… I was dueling a Duel Monster?"

"Why so surprised, Kaiba?" was her answer. "By now, you must have already seen so many strange things."

"Yes I know," he gulped, "But… I…"

"I'll just get right down to business," she said. "Now, I already know that the face-down card on your field is Polymerization, so I have no fear of attacking your monster."

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. "If you do that, you'll lose 300 Life Points, and I'll get to summon my other two Giant Germs."

Ruin grinned, "That still won't stop me, for I have a special effect of my own. When I destroy a monster in battle, I'm allowed to attack once more. And I'll use that effect again and again, until I've wiped out all of those pesky germs! …But why should I stop there?"

She then gestured to the face-down card right behind her, in her Spell and Trap Zone. "I still have but one face-down card left to play, so I might as well activate it right now! So open up now, _Legitimate Bloodline_!"

Ruin stretched out her left hand toward the card, and on command it opened up. She then explained, "I now take a Normal Monster from my Graveyard and resurrect it. And I know just who to bring back: my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Kisara reappeared as magically as she had disappeared just minutes ago, then equipped herself to the new Trap Card.

**Blue-Eyes White Dragon: 3000 ATK**

Kaiba checked his Life Point meter: 5950. Knowing that this could very well be the end, he frowned in utter despair.

"Now," said Ruin on the field, "I will begin with my assault on the Giant Germ!"

"Do your worst," muttered the doomed man.

"As you wish," smiled the goddess. She then held up her scythe and took a flying leap in the air. For a moment, she floated over the Germ, but then her scythe came crashing down on it like a bolt of lightning.

**Fuu: 6100- 5600 LP**

The child was still asleep despite the effect damage.

Kaiba obligatorily summoned two copies of his Giant Germs, both in Defense mode. But all they did was make Ruin salivate. With a sadistic smile, she literally danced and twirled toward her next target two targets. Then, with one "whack" of her scythe after another, the Germs went crumbling like dust at the goddess' feet.

**Fuu: 5600- 4100- 3600 LP**

Ruin wasn't quite finished attacking yet; now that Kaiba's field was clear, she was free to attack him directly. So she gave him one last moment of peace, before thrusting her staff right through his chest.

This time, it really did hurt.

**Kaiba: 5950- 3650 LP**

As if my some miracle, Kaiba survived unscathed by the attack. Perhaps Ruin was just toying with him for now. But nevertheless, she cued Manju God to go in for his own attack. The crystallized god clutched some of his hands together, and from them came a beam of light that was launched at Kaiba. It too went straight through him, and it too hurt.

**Kaiba: 3650- 2250**

Had Ruin not activated Legitimate Bloodline, this would have been the end of her turn. But now her Blue-Eyes was geared up to attack; this was surely the end of Kaiba Seto.

"Now… Kisara, my sweet, finish this duel and put our friend out of his misery."

"Blue-Eyes…. NO!"

Kaiba could do nothing to stop his beloved monster from charging right up to him, leaning forward, and opening her jaws wide open to swallow him whole.

.

III

Kaiba was so sure he was dead, for right after he met with Blue-Eyes White Dragon's jaws, he saw nothing but blackness…. But actually, he was just covering his eyes while cowering in fear.

He was still very much alive, and seemingly unharmed despite being covered in a blanket of darkness. The Goddess of Ruin casually approached him as he shivered in the dark.

"P-please," he whimpered, "don't… don't kill me. I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I'll do whatever you want, just… don't…"

The goddess frowned a sincere frown. "Normally," she said, "the loser of a Yami no Duel like this is forced to forfeit his life… But lucky for you, I'm not so heartless." She then waved her left arm, and the darkness surrounding Kaiba had vanished.

Kaiba glanced up at her with a gasp. "I've spared your life," said the goddess, "but I assure you, your enemies will not do the same. I sincerely hope that when you meet them, you will be the victor. The world still needs you, Former King Seto."

She then began to walk away from him, leaving him stunned. "…Wait!" he blurted out, causing her to stop in her tracks. "What happens now?" he asked her.

The goddess then glanced over to her unconscious hostess. "I will return the child to her home, as I'll return you to yours." She then looked back at him. "Consider this experience as a warning, Kaiba-san. And spread that warning to everyone you know, including the King of Games himself. He will be tested just as you were, and the world will depend on his victory. …I've done all I could for now, but I assure you, we will meet again."

Everything started to get dark again for Kaiba. He wasn't sure if this was death or just a deep sleep. All he knew for sure was that when he opened his eyes again, he was back home, in the same room he was in last time.

All was quiet and peaceful; in fact, the clock on the wall wrote the exact same time in which Kaiba seemed to have vanished into the darkness in the first place. It was as if nothing had happened at all.

But Kaiba knew better; he knew it wasn't a dream. As he sat by his work table, he clutched onto his chest. He swore to himself that he could still feel the painful attacks of his opponent's duel monsters. And the Blue-Eyes attack was most memorable.

He shivered in speechless fear.

_.._

The Yuki residence, that same night.

Dressed in light blue pajamas, Yuki Judai was just coming out of the bathroom and started heading back to his own bedroom, when suddenly the corner of his left eye caught a soft purple light coming from Fuu's room. Curiously, he turned his head to see what it was, but only managed to catch a glimpse of it before it disappeared.

Judai's mouth popped open in surprise; he couldn't have been seeing things! Worried for his little sister, he decided to investigate her room. He carefully opened the door to her room, which was halfway opened a moment earlier, to let himself in. What he found was his little sister sleeping peacefully in her bed, as if nothing had happened.

Judai sighed with relief, but then his attention turned to the floor. There was Duel Monster cards everywhere! Fuu was usually very tidy- especially when it came to her cards. And he was sure she stacked them all on her bureau before going to sleep, so this was a very odd sight to see.

He then felt obliged to pick them up as quickly and quietly as possible. During this pickup, Judai stopped and stared at a very unfamiliar-looking card that remained on the floor. It was colored blue, which meant it was a Ritual Monster. As he leaned forward, he could see that the image on the card was that of a woman dressed in red holding a staff of some kind. Judai paused to try and remember if he had seen it in Fuu's deck before… but his had no memory of it at all.

Judai then reached out to it to pick it up, but as soon as his fingers touched it, he was meant with a flash of light coming from the card, and most startling sound that sounded like a woman's whisper: _"YUKI JUDAI!"_

"Yah!" Judai gasped, and fell on his back. Amazingly, his shock hadn't woken up his sister Fuu; she just cooed and turned over on her side.

But while Fuu was at peace, Judai was visibly shaken; he started to shiver as he sat back up. He then decided that he shouldn't investigate the new card any longer; it seemed to have too much a life of its own. So at that moment, he had abandoned his floor cleaning completely, and quickly inched his way out of the room.

He had failed to catch sight of a ghostly woman standing atop the ritual Monster card, her back turned to the doorway.

She then turned her head curiously toward the doorway as she thought to herself; _"What incredible power… Why have I not felt such power before?"_

_.._

"I had the coolest dream last night!" cheered Fuu as she sat at the table with most of her siblings plus Manjyome during breakfast. Clearly she wasn't the worse for wares after being possessed by a Duel Spirit the night before.

"I dreamt I was dueling Kaiba, and I had my own Blue-Eyes, and I beat him!"

"Judai," called out one of Judai's look-alikes, "could you please pass the salt?"

"Sure."

"Did you guys hear me? I beat Kaiba!"

"Yeah, sis. That's nice. Pepper please, Junzo."

"And I had this real cool lady help me out too. Here, I even got her card!" Fuu then held up a Duel Monsters card that she had kept hidden by her legs on the chair.

But the others at the table seemed to be more concerned with the fact that Judai was barely even touching his eggs. "Judai?" muttered Manjyome from across the table.

"Hmm?"

"What's wrong? Are you not hungry?"

Judai then glanced over to Fuu from where she sat. "…I think I had a really weird dream last night too. But I don't wanna talk about it."

Fuu then got up from her chair and skipped over to Manjyome's chair, holding up her new card proudly. "I found this card on my floor this morning, Manjyome-kun! Isn't she beautiful?"

Manjyome's attention was drawn to the eggs on his plate. As he picked up a large wad of eggs with his fork, he sighed, "It's nice, Fuu-chan."

"But you're not even looking at it! Here, look… How many girls you know got long white hair?"

Finally intrigued by her begging, Manjyome humored her and turned to look at the card. It was a very unwise thing for him to do, because with a mouth full of food, he was likely to make a huge gasp of surprise to see that the woman in the card pic was the exact image of his ghostly stalker.

And indeed, upon seeing The Goddess of Ruin's face, he started to choke on his food and cough wildly.

"Manjyome!" gasped Judai in horror. "Are you okay?"

Fuu took her new friend's reaction the wrong way and smiled, "He's stunned! I told you she was beautiful!"

_.._

Domino City, that afternoon.

It had been a long and tough day for Marufuji Ryo, and he was not in the grandest mood as he marched down a street passing by curious faces. In fact, he was very ticked off, and it showed in his quiet facial expression. Most people that were unfortunate enough to be in his path wisely backed off as he passed them.

He was on the hunt for one person in particular, and thanks to the calling card in his jacket pocket, he knew just where to find him.

He came upon a vacant alleyway and noticed an iron-cast doorway. He double checked the address on the card given to him, and nodded. This was the place alright.

_**Bang! Bang! Bang**_! He rapped on the door with his fist.

The doorway then responded with the sliding open of a small pocket perfect for eyes to look through. "Who's that banging on the door so wildly?" growled the bouncer from behind the door. He then looked carefully at the guest and said, "Oh! …Marufuji Ryo?"

"Yes," replied the young man sternly.

The door was then opened with a very loud "_Creak_." "Come in, come in!" smiled the bouncer dressed in a fine black suit. "You are expected."

"Hmph," replied the displeased Ryo as he marched through the door. Clearly, he was in no mood for mannerly greetings, he just wanted to cut right to the chase.

Ryo was slightly amazed by the look of Monkey's secret dueling arena, for it looked more like a diner with round tables all filled with mysterious guests dressed to the nines- most of which were wearing white masks on their faces, as if they were part of a masquerade.

But then he heard the screams and explosions one would normally hear in a duel coming from a giant ring in the center of the great hall. The ring itself was actually caged, as if to prevent any injury to the guests that sat nearby. Ryo was puzzled at first, but then he was truly shocked to see the duelists inside the cage.

One was a very tall, very muscular man with long navy blue hair, wearing only a pair of ripped denim jeans and shackles on both his arms and legs. Stranger still was the fact that this man was covered head to toe in scars. The other man wasn't as big, but he was actually wearing a straight jacket, which he had actually released his arms from before the duel began, and he too was badly scarred. Both men seemed to want to kill each other for real; had they been restrained to only fight with holographic Duel Monsters, they very well may have gotten violent.

Ryo was then spooked by a voice that crept up from behind him: "Magnificent, isn't it?"

Ryo whipped himself around, and there behind him stood the man he was after all along: "Monkey!"

The bespectacled man in the classy tuxedo tipped his top hat. "That's the steel cage right there; Inukai- the one on the left- and Dr. Collector on the right have been known to get a little carried away in their duels. And it only gets worse with their electric amplifiers."

"Electric what?"

"Amplifiers. See, they have these devices attached to their arms and necks that have connected to their duel disks. You know how those disks are run on electricity? Well, those two purposefully charge up their duel disks to a dangerous level, then use those amplifiers to redirect some of those electric currents to their own bodies."

"But… isn't that dangerous? Can't they get killed?"

"They don't care. They've both told me that these kinds of duels only make them feel stronger. …And, the audience seems to enjoy it."

Ryo then glanced around at the amused faces of the masked audience.

"I dunno what's creepier here, the guys in the cage or these weirdoes in masks."

"Those 'weirdoes,' Kaiser-san, are some of the richest and most popular celebrities in the world. They wear the masks to hide their true identities, just in case the paparazzi sneaks in uninvited."

Ryo paused to let himself adjust to his surroundings before following Monkey over to a vacant table. "By the way," smiled Monkey as he sat down, "to whom do I owe the honor of this visit, Kaiser-san?"

Ryo clenched his fists angrily; "Oh yes, of course! I came here looking for you because I want to take back the 'gift' you gave me last night."

Monkey kept his cool; "What gift?"

"Don't you dare play coy with me," hissed Ryo as he reached into one of his coat pockets, pulling out a particular Duel Monsters card. "This Brain Jacker you gave me… It's ruined my deck!"

"Kaiser-san, please," beckoned the sly man in black; "please sit down and try not to make a scene."

Reluctantly, Ryo took his advice and sat down beside his deceiver.

"There," smiled Monkey, "that's better. Now tell me, what exactly is wrong with that card?"

"Well, you see… I wasn't going to put it in my deck, but earlier today as I was practicing with one of my friends for a few rounds, the strangest thing happened…"

.

**Flashback, Ryo's POV**

"_Make your move, Ryo!" called out my friend Hiro, as he ended his turn with a Marauding Captain and a Command Knight on his field._

"_I draw," said I. Now let me make something clear here: the six cards in my hand were Future Fusion, Limited Removal, Smashing Ground, Call of the Haunted, Cyber Phoenix, and Cyber Dragon. It didn't really dawn on me at first, but there was something very different about that Cyber Dragon._

_After giving it a second glance, I realized something bizarre. Normally, Cyber Dragons are Light monsters. But this one's attribute symbol was Dark! Even the picture was different; the Cydra looked tainted- evil- as it crouched down like a snake ready to strike. Its body was shadowed by a black aura._

_But like I said, it didn't really register to me at the time. I proceeded with my duel._

"_Now, I'll use the effect of my Cyber Dragon to summon it to the field without the need of a Tribute."_

_**Cyber Dragon: 2100 ATK**_

"_Next, I'll play the Spell Smashing Ground. This destroys the monster on your field with the highest Defense Points."_

_And with that, his Command Knight was gone._

"_Now, Cyber Dragon, attack with—What!?"_

_You wouldn't believe it, but Cyber Dragon had suddenly switched to Defense Mode!_

"_Hey, what gives?" exclaimed Hiro. "You tryin' to make an illegal move there, Kaiser?"_

"_No! I… I had it in Attack Mode, I swear… C-Cyber Dragon, attack! …Attack!"_

_No response came from the Machine; it just refused to obey me. It was then that I realized something was attached to it from the back of its head. As I stared at it, I could see it was the Brain Jacker! It turned its ugly orange eye at me… and it seemed to laugh._

_And it didn't end there… It seemed as though the Brain Jacker beast was able to appear again and again, even when I summoned my Cyber End Dragon. And, as if that wasn't heartbreaking enough, the possessed Cyber End actually slithered from my side of the field to Hiro's!_

"_No, Cyber End! Come back! You're my monster!"_

"_What the heck is going on!?" gasped Hiro. "Isn't it still your turn, Kaiser?"_

_I was completely speechless. My own monster, turned against me! I was forced to stop the duel right then and there, before things got really out of hand…_

_._

"So you see?" concluded Ryo as he stared down resentfully at Monkey. "I dunno how you did it, but that Brain Jacker of yours has possessed all my monsters! …So I'm going to have to return it to you."

Monkey couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "Hmph. Heh-heh-heh-heh! Kaiser-san, are you trying to make me believe that Duel Monsters can possess each other?"

"I didn't even add that card to my deck!" Ryo repeated himself desperately. "…You must think I'm crazy, don't you? You think I'd make up a crazy story like that out on a whim!?"

"Tell me, Kaiser-san… Have you had any experience with Duel Spirits before?"

"…Duel Spirits? What are you talking about?"

"You have never seen a Duel Spirit before in your life?"

"…No. I haven't." Meanwhile, the ghost of Brain Jacker crawled up Ryo's arm and perched nonchalantly on his left shoulder.

"Well," replied Monkey, "it's all pretty mysterious to me too, but I knew someone who may help you in this bizarre problem of yours."

"Just get rid of that damned Brain Jacker you gave me. That's all I ask!"

"Kaiser-san," said Monkey as he closed his eyes, "it was not I who gave you that gift. I was merely a messenger for the real sender."

Ryo gasped, "You mean… you didn't give me that card? Then who did?"

"_I_ did," replied a woman's voice.

Ryo had to turn his seat halfway around to see the woman approaching him. She was a tall brunette with ruby lips and a stunning gown that was deep red and burgundy. She carried with her a golden scepter fit for a queen, and her hair was pulled up and settled underneath a fancy old-fashioned hat, also fit for a queen.

"Kaiser-san," said Monkey, "allow me to introduce to you our most honored guest and investor of the underground dueling league…"

Ryo stood on his feet to look this woman in the eyes. "…You look familiar," he muttered curiously.

The woman's lips curled. "I'm most pleased to meet you in person, Marufuji-san. Or do you prefer 'Kaiser?'"

"Ryo is just fine. And you are, ma'am?"

"They call me The Allure Queen."

Ryo's eyes lit up; "Ah, now I know where I've seen you before… You're a Duel Monster."

The woman beamed with delight and giggled; "Eh-heh-heh. 'Duel Monster.' That title is so below me it's not even funny."

The young man then turned over to the gentleman in black with narrowed eyes. "Is this supposed to be some kind of joke, Monkey? First you claim there are spirits, and now this woman is cosplaying as a Duel Monster?"

Monkey turned to the woman with a smile of embarrassment; "Please forgive him, your grace; he doesn't quite get it."

"Oh, no offense taken," she said calmly. "I understand that the boy is… new to the game."

"What game?" frowned Ryo. "Are you people trying to mess with my head?"

"Please calm yourself, Ryo," purred the woman as she extended her gloved hand to his shoulder. "I've overheard your complaint with the Brain Jacker, and I will be more than happy to take it back."

"You would?" he asked; hearing her promise relieved him for a moment.

"Of course," she added, "I would have to see this bad luck of yours for myself. Perhaps I could assist you in taming that wretched little demon."

"You want to see me make a fool of myself in a duel?" Ryo narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"What's the harm of you losing one duel? Haven't you once said that winning doesn't matter to you?"

"I… Wait, how did you know…?"

"Everyone knows, Ryo-san. They've seen it when you played against Moto Yugi; you were clearly holding back. And why? Why didn't you destroy him when you had the chance?"

"…You were there?"

"Yes, I was there. And you should know that while Monkey-san owns this small dueling ring, I myself own the entire underground dueling league. And, to tell you the honest truth, my boy, you've really impressed me."

Ryo gulped; he didn't like where this was going, but at the same time he felt obligated to stay and listen to what this strange woman had to say.

She purred in a soft, almost motherly voice; "Young men like you deserve to be fighting for something other than fame, money and popularity. You already have all that. What you need, Ryo, is a real challenge. You need to stand up to someone you feel is going to defeat you, and you must unleash all your inner strength to finally defeat him."

"What are you saying? You think I should rematch Yugi?"

"Well, maybe not Yugi- not yet. First, let us have you practice your skills on someone not to popular, but just as skilled a duelist as you are. …Do you know anyone like that, Ryo-san? Think…"

Still unsure of what to think of this woman, Ryo couldn't help but start to go into a state of deep thought, until at last he visualized the face of… "Yuki Judai."

Allure Queen's eyes lit up with interest. "Who?"

The young man looked up at her. "There's this kid I know; he's two years younger than me. He would have graduated this year if… His name's Yuki Judai."

"Has he ever beaten you before?"

"No, but he's come close. Really close… And I know he only gets better with every duel. If I were to face him now-"

"Face him."

"I can't! Not with this deck; it's rigged."

"It only seems to be rigged. Ryo, this deck is sick and tired of holding back its true strength. It's rebelling against you, not because of Brain Jacker but because you're too afraid. You're afraid of your own power; I can see it in your eyes…"

There really did seem to be a certain degree of fear in his eyes at that moment. But one would say the fear was directed at her.

"Trust me," she purred. "I can help you get this deck back on its feet, and you'll be all the better for it. In just a few days you'll be able to regain control of your cards again, and then nothing- not even the King of Games himself- could stop you."

Ryo was silent, and deep in thought again.

"…Or," smirked the Allure Queen, "you could walk out right now and let yourself be humiliated in the Pro Leagues for the rest of your life."

Ryo then took a deep breath. He looked over at the smiling Monkey, the masked audience, the scarred brutes in the cage killing each other, then back to the woman who thought she was a Duel Monster.

Then he looked back down at his hands. He envisioned his deck within those hands. His deck- once glorious and brought a smile to his heart, now tainted and rebelling against him, forcing him to lose.

He clutched his hands into fists before glaring contemptibly at the woman. "I know what you're trying to do. You're trying to get me to join your little club here and fall into these delusions of grandeur and ghosts! Ma'am, Allure Queen, whatever you go by, let me just say that nothing would please me more than to be rid of that ugly demon clogging my deck. But let me also say this: I'm not willing to throw out my honor by joining with you just to do so. I… I'm sorry but the answer is no. I'll take my chances out there, in the real world... Good evening, to you all."

And do, the young man had made up his mind, and forcefully showed himself the door.

Meanwhile, Monkey moved up closer to The Allure Queen. "It seems all our efforts have failed, your grace," he frowned.

"Give him time," replied the woman as she crossed her arms patiently. "He claims he doesn't care much for losing. We'll see how long he can hold out with that tainted deck of his."

She then glanced over to where Ryo had walked out. "He'll come back… and when he does, he _will_ be mine…"

Her eyes then flashed red.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter: "Change of Heart"**

Featured Duel(s): **Marufuji Ryo vs. Yuki Judai**

.

Author's Notes:

Characters and their dub counterparts:

**Monkey Saruyama** "Mr. Shroud"

**Inukai** Mad Dog

**Dr. Collector** Not yet dubbed (For those of you who know that he seems to die later on in the second season, let me just say I only brought him back for reasons to spice up the last scene…. And perhaps I miss him a bit.)

.

Translations and Terms:

"**Horobi no Burst Stream"** "Burst Stream of Destruction"

**Cosplay** A Japanese term, literally a merge of the words "costume" and "role-play;" it's when someone dresses up as a role and then plays the role, much like children do on Halloween night.

.

**Further Notes:**

Many thanks to "KuroKarasu" and "Dark Patrician" for pitching in on the plot of this chapter.


	7. Change of Heart

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Seven: "Change of Heart"**

I

Poor Ryo. He tried everything- tossing it into random trashcans; ripping it into pieces; burning it to the ground; even tossing it out of a window from a fifteen-story building. But no matter what he did… that damned Brain Jacker card just kept coming back!

Time was running out for him; he had to attend another Pro League game on the weekend, and his deck was still tainted. If eliminating the Brain Jacker wouldn't work, then perhaps trying to tame it during the game would. After all… it was just one card.

.

On the evening of his duel, he was dueling his old friend, Tenjoin Fubuki, who had graduated from Duel Academy after Ryo. For the two of them, their first duel together in the Pro League felt more like a family reunion. But, this reunion was about to get ugly…

As it was with Ryo's duel with Yugi, the two reunited friends stood on large podiums that stood over a field large enough to be a football field. There wasn't an empty seat in the immense arena. Even the Tenjoin and Marufuji families were present.

Fubuki started his turn with an Indomitable Fighter Lei-Lei, with 2300 Attack Points- quite impressive for a four-star Monster. He also had two face-down cards in the Spell and Trap Zone.

So now it came to Ryo's turn. He drew six cards… and was absolutely shocked at what he found in his hand: Three- not one, THREE- Brain Jackers!

"Oh God…" he muttered in disbelief.

"…Hey Ryo?" said the concerned Fubuki, "are you alright?"

"Uhh… uh…" Ryo's head was put in a spin; he had no idea what to do with one Brain Jacker, and now it had mysteriously multiplied. But then he took a deep breath. Turning back now was not an option.

"I place a monster face down, and end my turn."

"My draw," said Fubuki.

Then suddenly, the face-down Brain Jacker emerged from its hiding spot! Fubuki and Ryo both gasped in surprise at this.

The spider-like Demon then launched itself at the opposing Lei-Lei and attached itself to the Beast-Warrior's face.

"Hey!" yelped Fubuki. "What is that thing doing to my monster!?"

"Fubuki!" gasped Ryo in horror.

Meanwhile, the judges were all turning their heads at each other; "Isn't that against the rules?" they muttered.

It was only about to get worse. Lei-Lei was being forced to turn around and face his own master, as if acting as an enemy to him.

"Brain Jacker, stop!" Ryo demanded loudly. "…STOP!"

But it wasn't listening; the Demon forced Lei-Lei to raise his club at Fubuki's Life Points.

"Time out!" called the judge who stood on the sidelines. "Flip effects only activate when a Monster attacks!"

"I know that," growled the frustrated Ryo.

As if that wasn't enough, the other two Brain Jackers in Ryo's hand had suddenly jumped onto the field in Attack mode! The audience gazed in awe and confusion as these two Demons started to jump around from space to space.

Fubuki was beside himself. "There must be a glitch in the holograms," he frowned. "We'll have to start over."

"No," said Ryo as he grit his teeth. "…It's no use. …I'll have to surrender."

"But Ryo-"

"I surrender, Fubuki!"

With that, Ryo slammed his hand on his deck, accepting defeat, and piloted his podium downward to the floor.

The audience let out a sigh of disappointment; more specifically, Sho and his parents were just stunned. Even Asuka, who sat close by them, was beside herself in disbelief.

..

In the locker room, minutes later…

"Damn these cards," whispered Ryo to himself, as he looked over the three Brain Jackers in his hand. He wanted to crunch them in his grasp then and there, but he knew it was useless.

In his frustration, Ryo kicked the nearest locker door. It sent chills down the spine of the young man approaching him. "Hey Ryo," muttered Fubuki. "Don't get upset; it was just a technical difficulty, that's all."

Ryo turned to Fubuki with a cold stare. "You don't know the half of it, Fubuki."

"We'll check the podiums for any glitches. Then we can restart and-"

"It won't matter, Fubuki. They'll just keep coming back, and they'll ruin the game over and over again."

"What will?"

"These!" shouted Ryo as he threw the Brain Jacker cards to the floor. "These damned Brain Jackers! They keep coming back. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try… they always ruin me… the little PESTS!" He then stomped on them from where they rested.

"You're saying this happens all the time?" frowned Fubuki.

"All the time…" replied Ryo with a softened voice; his fists were starting to tremble. "I never thought I'd say this, Fubuki… but I may have to quit Duel Monsters. It may be the only way to rid myself of this curse. If I just go on, I'll keep humiliating myself… or just let the opponent win."

Fubuki gulped, "But… you once told me that winning wasn't important to you."

Ryo hung his head. "I can accept defeat, my friend, but not like this… not like this."

Meanwhile, Sho and Asuka found their way to the locker room, and stood outside the doorway to listen in on the conversation between their older brothers.

"You can't just quit the game though," they heard Fubuki say. "You love this game too much. Maybe you just need to retain yourself."

"…Yes. …Maybe you're right," they heard Ryo say.

"And that means," Ryo said to Fubuki as he stared straight into his friend's eyes, "I'll have to disappear from the Pro League for a little while- go on hiatus, in a sense. And while I'm gone, I'll leave the center stage to you, my friend."

Fubuki couldn't help but crack a smile. "…Well, whatever helps. Just don't be gone too long, Ryo. We're gonna miss you around here."

Ryo quietly pat Fubuki on the shoulder, before he started to make an exit.

Fubuki looked down on the floor then called back, "Hey Ryo, what am I to do with these Brain Jackers?"

"Leave them there," replied Ryo. "It won't make much difference," he muttered to himself; "they'll just come back…"

Ryo walked out of the locker room and passed right by the younger teens, Asuka and Sho. Fubuki joined them by the doorway as Ryo kept walking down the hall.

Sho couldn't help but call out to him: "Onii-san?" But Ryo just kept walking, as if he didn't even know his little brother was there. It left Sho downhearted.

_._

**Two weeks later**

Judai and a few of his siblings had agreed to escort Manjyome to the local gas station, with Jun's motorcycle in tow, in giving the vehicle a new tank of gasoline. It had been almost three weeks now since he had been with the Yuki family, but Manjyome was just now thinking about readying his motorbike for a new journey.

While Jun was busy refilling his motorbike, Judai, Jin, Junzo, Sasuke and Katzumi engaged in a game of hackey-sack. The objective was to "pass" the small ball to any given player without dropping it, and the catch was that they could only use their feet- much like in soccer, which seemed to be their overall favorite game. Meanwhile, little Fuu stood by with a mini-deck of her favorite cards in her hands.

Two minutes had gone into the game, and already Fuu was bored, so she skipped over to where Manjyome was. "Manjyome-kun," she asked as she flipped her cards over to her latest edition; "why is this one Monster card blue?"

While focusing on the gas meter, Jun replied instinctively, "Blue means 'Ritual,' Fuu. That means you can't play it until you've first played the counterpart Spell card, and sacrificed a certain number of Monsters."

"You mean like eight Monsters?"

"No… No, you can sacrifice as many as two Monsters; the point is to have their Level stars equal to the number of stars on the Ritual monster."

"So… if I sacrifice Misty and Valli Dunamis Valkyria, I get Ruin?"

"Yes…" he then cringed at the name _"Ruin."_ "Where'd you say you got that card again?" he wondered aloud.

"I dunno," she shrugged, "but I'm thinking about adding her to my deck. She's got a really cool effect don'tcha think?"

The teen took a deep breath, and turned around to see her. But instead, he not only saw the child but the Angel's ghost standing right behind her. Though Ruin seemed docile and harmless, Manjyome turned back to the front with a look of utter disgust. Plus, he shivered.

"What's wrong?" asked the small child.

"Nothing," he said while tapping his hand uncontrollably on the gas meter. "Go see what your brothers are doing, okay?"

"They're just playing foot-catch or something. It's boring. I wanna talk about Duel Monsters."

"Judai knows Duel Monsters."

"But he never talks about it…" she frowned.

This comment caused Manjyome to stir. He turned back around to Fuu (and this time, Ruin was invisible). Then suddenly he yelled, "JUDAI!"

Stunned, Judai hopped on his one foot, letting the rubber ball roll off of it. "What!?" he barked back.

"Talk to your sister for a minute, will you?" commanded the raven-haired teen.

"I'm busy."

"So am I!"

"It's okay Judai," Sasuke reassured him; "we'll leave a spot open for you."

Annoyed, Judai picked up the ball and gently tossed it to his younger brother. "Here," he said, and the game went on without interruption.

With a sigh, Judai walked past Manjyome while signaling Fuu to come follow him. And so she did. The two of them walked all the way over to the edge of the street corner, where Judai sat down.

"So," he forced a smile, "whaddya wanna talk about, Fuu?"

Her question was simple: "How come you don't play Duel Monsters anymore? …You used to love it. You played it all the time with me and Katzumi."

Judai's fake smile dropped. Unsure of how to explain himself, he gulped; "Well… It's…"

"Is it because of the island blowing up?"

"That… and… I've lost something. Something very valuable to me… Ever since then, I just haven't had the heart to duel anymore."

This forced Goddess of Ruin out of her state of suspension, and faded into the scene transparently. She had a look of concern on her face, as if she was sensing trouble.

Judai's head was turned, so he didn't see her.

"What did you lose?" asked Fuu innocently.

It was then that Judai decided to bear his soul for the first time since leaving Duel Island. "…I used to be able to see Duel Spirits. …And I don't anymore."

Manjyome was in earshot; he was stunned at what he heard.

"What are Duel Spirits?" asked the small girl curiously.

Judai glanced at her solemnly. "They're… It's like looking at your Duel Monsters as if they were real. You know… like ghosts."

"Oh!" she burst into a smile. "Then, if I have Duel Monsters, can I see them too?"

Judai smiled again, but this time it was a genuine grin. "Eh-heh… Well, I guess if you look hard enough-"

"Can you see my Duel Spirit? Huh, can you?"

"Eh?"

"Who is she? Which one?"

"…Uh-"

"Is it Misty? Valli? Maggie Mage of Faith?"

"Oh, wait-wait-wait!" he blurted out. "I see one! …There!" he pointed.

The girl frantically looked around. "Where? Where?"

"Right behind you," he assured her. "It is one of your Monsters… and she's beautiful!"

Fuu couldn't help but be charmed by her big brother's antics. She cooed with delight in thinking she had a spirit partner.

But he wasn't fooling Manjyome, or Ruin for that matter. They both could tell he was lying; he truly had lost the gift of clairvoyance.

Meanwhile, Fuu gave him a big hug around the neck and kissed his cheek; "Thank you so much, Judai-niisan! You just made my day!" She then went skipping back to her other siblings, no longer bored of them.

Meanwhile, Judai hung his head in shame, and sighed…

_"__So,"_ thought the spirit of Ruin as she lingered by Judai's side, _"that explains why I have not picked up on this boy's aura yet. Somehow he is being suppressed of his true gift…"_

She then phased out into nothingness upon Manjyome's arrival; she could detect his dread of her from a mile away.

He stopped by Judai's side and looked down on him, almost like a parent would a child in need of counseling. "Did you really see her?" he asked.

Judai glanced upward at him; "Huh? See who?"

"Goddess of Ruin," explained Manjyome; "your sister really does have a Duel Spirit, and she's been stalking us. Don't tell me you haven't picked up on her yet."

Judai just shrugged; "I can't explain myself, Manjyome-kun. All I know is that without Hane Kuriboh, I can't see Duel Spirits."

"Maybe Hane Kuriboh's not the problem," suggested Manjyome as he crossed his arms. "Maybe you just need to get your head on straight and try to focus."

"What!?" growled Judai, who felt taken back; "What do you mean by that?"

"You've been in a rut ever since you came back home, Judai. You haven't just lost your gift; you've lost the will to even duel. Will power is what it all comes down to, and right now that's what you need more than anything."

Judai then jumped to his feet, ready to defend himself. "You don't understand! You dunno what it's like to lose your connection with your own Monsters! You-"

"Don't I!?" barked Manjyome with a look of frustration. "Don't I know better than anybody what you're going through? Or have you forgotten the Society of Light already!?"

Judai gasped in surprise; no one even mentioned those words after the incident with Saiou and his brainwashing of over half the school, less than a year earlier.

"I _know_…" Manjyome's voice toned down to nearly a whisper. "I remember it clearly, Judai. Losing sight of the Ojamas nearly scarred me for life too, but I got through it because I never gave up on myself. You need to do the same thing, or else you're gonna be without Duel Spirits for the rest of your life."

Judai was speechless for a moment, but then he softly blurted out the words, "…Wow, I never really-"

"…thought of it that way" would have been his last phrase, but before he could say it, he was cut off by the cheer of his brother Junko; "Manjyome-kun! Your bike's ready!"

"My bike," muttered the surprised Manjyome; without giving it a second thought, he raced over to his motorbike, now full of fuel and ready to go. He left Judai alone to sink into his thoughts.

"Finally," muttered Manjyome as he double checked the engine.

"Hey Manjyome-kun," peeped Sasuke.

"-Sanda."

"Whatever. Look, me and the guys were just thinking… Maybe you don't have to leave us so soon. Maybe you can stay for a little while longer."

"…And why would I do that?" asked Manjyome while looking slightly annoyed by the offer.

"Because," answered Judai-look-alike Junko, "you really don't have anywhere else to go."

"I can afford a hotel somewhere."

"But it's so much fun with you around!" exclaimed Katzumi joyfully.

"Yeah," added Judai-look-alike Jin; "And, you can crash in our room for once. There's plenty of room!"

"Yeah," nodded Junko enthusiastically. "You're like the brother we could've had. You could be The Fifth Jay!"

The others laughed with him. It was true; Manjyome was the same age as the first four boys, plus his name ironically started with "J," like theirs. In their eyes, it was like he was sent to them by a force of God.

But upon hearing the term "The Fifth Jay," Manjyome's spine tingled- and not in the good way. He cringed, though nobody seemed to notice.

Well, Judai did. "Alright you guys, leave him alone," said Judai as he walked up to them. "Manjyome's free to do what he wants; he doesn't have to stay with us."

"But Judai," said Fuu with a frown, "don't you want him to stay too?"

Judai paused, unsure of what to say next.

"Don't answer that," Manjyome warned him, giving Judai the traditional "leave me alone" glare. With that, he grabbed a hold of the motorbike's pedals and rolled it toward the street. The others watched him lead the way, then followed reluctantly in his footsteps.

_.._

Judai had taken Manjyome's advice earlier that day to heart, and started planning on rekindling his fondness of the Duel Monsters game. But he needed help, and who better to recruit then his best buddies from Duel Island?

Sho, Kenzan and Asuka showed up at his house within an hour of being called over by phone. They were almost unrecognizable without their school uniforms; this time, they were in casual wear like ordinary teenagers. But other than that, they were still the same.

The small group of them played Duel Monsters for hours while Judai's younger siblings watched in delight. But things got really interesting at dinnertime, when the Yuki's allowed Judai's friends to stay and eat with them.

There were actually two dinner tables, for there was usually more than eight people present at one time. And this of course was no exception, with Asuka, Sho and Kenzan in tow. Manjyome and Judai both sat with them at the table closest to the kitchen.

"So tell us more about Duel Academy," suggested Mrs. Yuki to the dinner guests.

Asuka went first: "Well, Judai actually got in by beating one of our professors. Then, Manjyome-kun here challenged him to a secret duel just to prove Judai won by a fluke."

"Hyeah," smiled Judai; "Then we had a rematch, and then another rematch, and then _another_ rematch, and then-"

"Let's talk about something else," suggested a slightly annoyed Manjyome.

"What else is there to talk about?" wondered the single-minded Judai.

Then suddenly little Fuu blurted out, "Judai-niisan can see spirits!"

"Huh? Eh?" was the general response in the room, as all eyes fell on Judai.

Not one to feel like a loner, Judai responded with, "Well, so can Manjyome-kun!"

"Judai," hissed Manjyome softly.

But Judai was persistent. "His duel spirits are the Ojama Brothers!"

Manjyome blushed quite noticeably, while everyone's focused seemed to be redirected at him.

"Ah-ha!" cheered the small Yumi; "So it's true, he really does have strong family bonds."

Manjyome, meanwhile, looked like he wanted to shrivel up and die in his chair. He never told anyone about his duel spirits, not even Asuka whom he had been harboring deep feelings for.

"So can we call you our brother now, Jun-kun?" asked Yumi.

Manjyome sighed deeply. "…I have only two brothers: Chosaku-niisan and Shouji-niisan."

"Manjyome-kun," murmured Asuka nearby, "she didn't mean any offense."

"I know," said Manjyome with closed eyes and a sinking heart. "But the longer I stay here, the more I forget that they're looking for me. And no matter how cold and cruel they may seem at times, they are my family, and nothing is ever going to change that."

"We care more about you than they do!" protested the small Yumi; her mother replied quickly and defensively, "Yumi-chan, hush…"

Manjyome could only respond by lifting himself out of his chair and grabbing his unfinished dinner plate. "…I'm not really that hungry anymore. I'm sorry, but I need to be excused."

He then walked quietly past everyone and into the kitchen, where he wanted to be left alone. The room fell silent in awkwardness.

.

Asuka quietly followed Manjyome into the kitchen, where she found him emptying his plate into the sink. She stared at him with stern eyes.

He knew she was there, but decided to ignore her. He was just too troubled to acknowledge her. It was all the more reason for her to start lashing out at him.

"How dare you, Manjyome-kun. After all these people have done for you- they've given you a nice home, fed you, cleaned you up, kept you safe from your brothers- and all you do is give them the cold shoulder."

He proceeded to open up the dishwasher.

"I can tell that you're not comfortable here. Is it because you're so used to living in luxury? Well, forgive these people for being so poor; it's not really their fault, you know…"

He couldn't seem to find enough space in the dishwasher for his platequickly enough; his face started to tense.

"Honestly, Manjyome-kun. Are you really _that_ spoiled rotten that you can't even look these people in the face? Have you even thanked them for everything they've selflessly done for you? Do you care about them at all?"

"Of course I do!" he shouted while shutting the dishwasher door hard.

Finally, Asuka fell silent in her stunned shock. Manjyome, meanwhile, kept his dark eyes to the floor. He paused to gather up his thoughts until at last, he spoke up:

"…You think me heartless, Tenjoin-kun? …You really think I hate being here, with this amazing family- the kind of family I never had and always wanted?" He then glanced up at her; his eyes never looked so sincere to her. "Did it ever occur to you that I may be losing sleep at night, because I keep having nightmares of what could happen to this family if my brothers ever found me here? ...You don't know my brothers like I do; if they want me back, they could crush anyone and anything that get in their way."

Asuka let out a soft gasp. "Mamjyome-kun…" Her eyes softened. "If you're so worried about them, why don't you just say so?"

"Because… I… I don't know…"

"The least you could do is let them know how much you appreciate them. If you absolutely have to run off, then do it. But not without saying goodbye."

He looked up so that his dark eyes met her hazel. "You're right, Asuka-kun. I'm sorry I'm such a stubborn jerk."

She gave him a gentle, friendly shove of her elbow. "Hey, it's okay. We're kind of used to you being a stubborn jerk." A smile appeared on her face.

He smiled warmly. "Thanks, Asuka."

She started to walk away as she replied, "Hey, what are friends for?"

Unbeknownst to her, the boy's face cringed with immense heartache.

Friend-Zoned. Again.

..

II

Manjyome had left that morning in search of a means of getting onto Duel Island; it was phase one of his new plan to stop his brothers from starting more trouble for Kaiba. But he neglected to tell anyone other than Judai; the rest of the brunette's family were downright stunned when they realized their guest was nowhere to be seen.

At one point, young Yumi felt guilty and was heard to say, "It's my fault, I shouldn't have called him Jun."

Her big brother Judai was nearby when she said this and pitied her. "Aw, no Yumi it's not your fault. He-"

_**Ri-i-i-i-ing! Ri-i-i-i-i-ing!**_

"I'll get it!" shouted Judai as he frantically ran up the stairs, into the kitchen. He grabbed the phone as if his life depended on him answering it; "Manjyome?" he panted.

"_Hello, Judai,"_ came a familiar voice on the other end of the phone… but it wasn't Manjyome.

"Kaiser-san."

"_Yes, it's me."_

"Well, hi! I haven't heard from you in-"

"_Listen, Judai, I didn't call just to make small talk."_

"…You didn't?"

"_I called here to challenge you to a duel."_

"A duel? You mean like, today? But Kaiser-san…"

"_Meet me in the park in one hour. We'll have our duel there."_

"But, Kaiser-san."

"_This is very important to me, Judai. Do you understand?"_

"…Oh. …Okay. I guess… But after that, will you-"

**Click.**

"Ugh," Judai hung up the phone with a frustrated grunt. He was, by no means, in the mood to duel anybody- let alone the one person he had never actually beaten. At that moment, he felt a cold chill run down his spine.

"Onii-san?" asked Saori. "Who was that?"

"An old friend," replied Judai, before he whispered, "…I think…"

_.._

Downtown area, one hour later.

Judai walked towards the neighborhood park with his friends Asuka, Sho, Kenzan and Misawa. On his left arm clutched his duel disk, with his deck which he had scrambled through in little time.

By now Judai had explained his situation to his friends; Asuka frowned with concern, "This is strange. I thought Ryo said he was going to take a break from dueling for a while."

"And," wondered Misawa, "why would he call you out for a duel without any explanation, Judai? That doesn't sound like Ryo at all."

"No, you're right," said Judai worriedly. "It didn't sound like Kaiser at all. Something about his tone of voice… creeped me out."

"Maybe Onii-san's gotten his deck under control," peeped Sho out of nowhere.

Judai then stopped walking, making the others follow in suit. He glanced over to Asuka and Misawa, saying, "I need you guys to find Manjyome; he's in town selling off some old cards of his."

"Right," nodded Asuka and Misawa, then the two of them took off in another direction.

But Kenzan and Sho stood where they were; "We wanna watch you duel, Aniki," said Sho. "You may need the support."

"Sho?" Judai scratched his chin. "This is your big brother I'm dueling. Are you sure he's not gonna be miffed if you root for me?"

Sho frowned in reply, "He hasn't been much of a brother lately… And besides, it wouldn't feel right if we left you alone."

"Yeah," growled Kenzan as he balled a fist; "We can take down that Kaiser if he pulls something on you, Aniki-saurus! You just point me to him and I'll-"

"There you are," came a dark voice behind them.

Judai turned around, and found himself staring at a tall pale-skinned man with blue-green hair, matching blue-green eyes, and donning a jet-black trench coat over an even darker long-sleeve shirt. Even his pants and boots were black and leathery; it was enough to make Manjyome's attire look second-rate.

Upon seeing this dark figure, Kenzan let out a nervous gulp; "Ulp! …Go 'head, Judai-kun, he's all yours!"

Judai took a closer look at this tall man. "…Kaiser-san? Is that you?"

"Of course it's me," replied Ryo darkly.

"You… look different."

"It took me a long, hard week, but I've finally adapted to my deck. You see, Judai, my own cards have darkened recently." Upon saying this, Ryo held up one of his own Cyber Dragon cards. Judai and company were amazed at the sight of it; it was no longer a Light Monster, but Dark and surrounded by black lightning.

"And so," added Ryo as he put the card away, "I've changed part of myself as well, so that I could compliment my Cyber Dragons."

"They've all turned Dark?" gasped Judai.

Suddenly, a small head with glasses and light blue hair appeared from behind Judai. "Onii-san?" peeped Sho.

Ryo glared at his little brother callously. Then he redirected the glare at Judai. "So, are you ready to settle things with me?"

Judai gave him a reluctant nod, while his friends behind him looked on with terror in their eyes. Then, Kaiser led them deeper into the park, where their actions would be concealed from the general public by trees.

Judai took his place opposite of the Kaiser in an open square. But still, he looked nervous. "Kaiser," he gulped, "are you sure we can't just talk things over? We can have lunch at my place, reminisce, have a few laughs…"

"My mind is made up, Judai. You're the only one who can help me out of this rut I'm in."

"But… why do we have to duel?"

"You're not scared, are you?"

Judai didn't want to answer, but the truth of the matter was he had this very bad feeling about Ryo. Something about him had changed- something other than his outfit. He seemed colder now, even colder than he was when they first met.

But then he heard, "Aniki-saurus is not scared of anybody!" from Kenzan in the background.

"Then let's see what you've got," said Ryo as he unsheathed his duel disk.

"If you insist…" muttered Judai as the red light of his own duel disk turned on.

"**DUEL!"**

**Kaiser: 8000**

**Judai: 8000 LP**

"Turn start. Draw!" said Ryo. "…I special summon Cyber Dragon in Attack mode."

**Cyber Dragon: 2100 ATK 1600 DEF**

"What the!?" gasped Judai, seeing that the formidable Cydra had immediately shifted to Defense position just moments after it was summoned.

"Ugh," grumbled Ryo, glaring intently on the Brain Jacker in his hand. He knew all too well that for as long as he had at least one Brain Jacker in hand, his Cyber Dragon's were at its mercy.

"Kaiser, what's the deal?" asked Judai. "What happened to your Cyber Dragon?"

"Nevermind that," growled Ryo in frustration. "…He's just the warm-up anyway. Since I've used his special summon effect, I'm not going to use him as a Tribute to bring out something else."

"Something else?" gulped Judai.

"I sacrifice my Cyber Dragon for Cyber Ogre in Attack mode!"

**Cyber Ogre: 1900 ATK**

Judai and his friends alike gasped in surprise. Never before had they seen an ogre in Ryo's deck, let alone one made of metal.

"Turn over," said Ryo.

"Alright… Draw." Judai overlooked the six cards in his hand, then let one loose. "I play _Graceful Charity_." With that, he drew three new cards, then sent two to the Graveyard. Now he had a fresh new hand, and…

"With Graceful's effect, I'm sending E-Hero Wildman and Elemental Hero Necro Darkman to the Grave. And with Necro Darkman in my Graveyard, I can summon a monster to the field without the need of a tribute. And so, I'll summon Elemental Hero Edgeman!"

**E-Hero Edgeman: 2600 ATK**

"I'm not done," warned Judai as he pulled three more cards from his hand. "I play Fusion on my E-Hero Burst Lady, and my E-Hero Featherman, and with that I create, Elemental Flame Wingman!"

**E-Hero Flame Wingman: 2100 ATK**

Ryo looked impressed; already, his opponent had two monsters. One was caked in gold and well equipped to take out a Cyber Dragon; the other was a half-man, half-dragon with a Life Point-burn effect. But this duel was just getting started…

"E-Hero Edgeman, attack Cyber Ogre!"

As the golden-armored superhero charged the metallic ogre, Ryo shouted, "I activate my Cyber Ogre's effect! By sending a Cyber Ogre from my hand to the Graveyard, I can negate your attack."

Suddenly, a faint green aura glew around the ogre, forcing E-Hero Edgeman to bounce back to Judai's side of the field. Then, Judai witnessed something even stranger: the Cyber Ogre was getting bigger!

**Cyber Ogre: 1900 3900 ATK**

"Yah!" Judai yelped in fear.

"As you can see," smirked Ryo, "when this effect is resolved, my Cyber Ogre gains 2000 Attack Points."

Judai gulped; now his Flame Wingman had no chance to attack. "Well then… I place one card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone, and end my turn."

"My draw," said Ryo confidently. "Cyber Ogre," attack E-Hero Edgeman!"

And that it did; not only was Judai's stronger monster turned to dust, but he took the battle damage hard. He cringed in pain as his Life Points dropped down.

**Judai: 8000- 6700 LP**

But then Judai hollered, "I chain _Hero Signal_! Because you've destroyed an E-Hero, I can special summon another one from my deck. And I choose E-Hero Clayman."

**E-Hero Clayman: 800 ATK**

"Nice move Judai," nodded Ryo, "but my move's not over yet. Now I play the Spell card Monster Reincarnation. It forces me to send a monster in my hand to the Graveyard, but in return I get another monster back."

He then pulled out the Brain Jacker in his hand and whispered to it, "Good riddance to you," before chucking it into the Graveyard section of his duel disk.

"And with that," he added, as he pulled another card from the same section of his duel disk, "I get back my discarded Cyber Ogre, to be used for later purposes. That ends my turn."

"Draw," winced Judai.

**Cyber Ogre: 3900- 1900**

Sho gasped, "Did you see that!? Cyber Ogre's weak now! Judai should attack!"

Kenzan shook his head. "It's no good. If he attacks now, Kaiser can just toss that other Cyber Ogre to the Grave, and it'll start all over again."

Judai was at a dilemma. What was he to do…?

..

Meanwhile, not too far away, Asuka and Misawa were running down the street toward the nearest game shop when they noticed a shop on the corner with a stack of televisions in it. On each television screen was a news report; the television screens had the images of Manjyome's Chosaku and Shouji in the right hand corner as a female news reporter was uttering something that was muted.

"The Manjyome Group?" Quickly, Asuka fled into the shop where she could hear the news report more clearly. Misawa followed close behind, unsure of what the situation was.

While in the electric store, Asuka could hear the female reporter say,_ "…and in just one month after their deal was settled, the Manjyome Group have already settled onto their newly purchased land on what was once known as Duel Island. Sources say that reconstruction has already begun near Duel Academy, and the hopes of restoring the island to its former habitat is looking promising…"_

Asuka and Misawa exchanged concerned faces. "They really are up to something," mused Misawa, "aren't they?"

..

III

Judai now had only two cards in his hand, but at least one of them would have given him a better advantage. He remembered that on his first turn, he discarded two E-Heroes through Graceful Charity, fused two others, and lost one in battle. That totaled five, and that cued his next move.

"I play the Spell card _Hope of Fifth_. Now, I can return five E-Heroes in my Graveyard, add them to my deck, reshuffle it, and draw three new cards!"

Ryo looked midly impressed when he realized that Judai did, in fact, have five E-Heroes in his Graveyard. "I see. Very well, then. Proceed, Judai."

Judai reshuffled Wildman, Necro Darkman, Featherman, Burst Lady and Edgeman back into his deck as planned. But, when he reshuffled the deck and drew three new cards, he was about to get a surprise twist.

His newly drawn cards were: E-Hero Burst Lady, E-Hero Sparkman, and… _Transcendent Wings_! "Oh no," he muttered very softly. "…I've completely forgotten to take this card out of my deck. It won't work without Hane Kuriboh…" Then the heartache came back.

"…What's the matter, Judai?" called Ryo. "Are you still having doubts?"

Judai tried his best not to lose his cool, but he couldn't help but let at least one bead of sweat run down his face. He gulped, "No… I… I'm just strategizing!"

"Come on, Aniki! Focus!" shouted Sho in the background.

"Eh… right." Judai looked at the one other card in his hand, and that at least gave him a bit of hope. "I play Fusion Sage, which lets me seek out a Fusion card from my deck and add it to my hand."

Ryo waited patiently as Judai reassembled his cards.

"Now, I play Fusion on E-Hero Sparkman and E-Hero Flame Wingman, thus creating… Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!"

**E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman: 2500- 3100 ATK**

Ryo was aware that this glowing angelic E-Hero gained 300 Attack Points, thanks to both Sparkman and Flame Wingman in the Graveyard.

"Next," said Judai, "I switch Clayman to Defense mode…"

**E-Hero Clayman: 2000 DEF**

"And I'll summon E-Hero Burst Lady in Defense mode as well."

**E-Hero Burst Lady: 800 DEF**

"That ends my turn."

"Draw," said Kaiser. He glanced at his three-card hand, and saw that he now had just drawn a second Brain Jacker card. "I could very well trounce that Shining Flare Wingman with my Cyber Ogre's effect… if this thing would allow me to," he muttered to himself. "…Well. Let's see what happens." Then he spoke up, "Cyber Ogre, attack… Shining Flare Wingman."

But just as he had predicted, the Brain Jacker's black aura spurt out and threw itself on top of Cyber Ogre. Its attack instead went straight to E-Hero Burst Lady, destroying her.

Kenzan gasped in surprise; "What happened!? Didn't he say to attack Shining Flare-saurus?"

Sho was just as alarmed. "Maybe Onii-san is right… Maybe his deck really does have a mind of its own."

"Huh?" peeped a curious Kenzan.

Meanwhile, Ryo hung his head as if ashamed. "I should have known better; my monsters have been deciding for themselves who to attack, and it's usually against my orders. So I'll be more careful next time. Until then, I'll set a monster on my field and a card face down in the Spell and Trap zone. Turn over."

"My turn. Draw!" Judai's luck seemed to be coming back to him. "I play Fusion Recovery, which lets me get back a Monster used for a Fusion summon, and the Spell card Fusion itself. And with this effect, I'll bring back E-Hero Sparkman! …Now, to play Fusion on Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman. They merge to create Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

**E-Hero Thunder Giant: 2400 ATK**

**E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman: 3700 ATK**

"Wingman's getting stronger!" cheered Kenzan.

"I'll now activate Thunder Giant's effect, which automatically destroys a Monster whose base Attack points are lower than his. So, say goodbye to your Cyber Ogre, Kaiser!"

Kaiser growled as his monster literally bit the dust. But then he said, "I'll take this opportunity to activate Cry of the Living Dead on my Cyber Ogre."

**Cyber Ogre: 1900 ATK**

Judai took a breath. "…Shining Flare Wingman, attack Cyber Ogre!"

Kaiser was ready for this move. "I discard the Cyber Ogre in my hand to negate the attack!"

"Oh, no!" Judai gasped as he palmed his brow. "I… I forgot he had that in his hand…"

**Cyber Ogre: 3900 ATK**

"What now, Judai?" smirked Kaiser, whose confidence was noticeably increasing.

"…Thunder Giant, destroy his face-down monster."

The overly-bulky superhero charged up like a battery and sent a blue lightning bolt right through…

"Brain Jacker!?" blinked a shocked Judai.

"Yes," hissed his opponent, as the Demon went fizzing into nothingness. "I really should thank you for doing that. He's part of the reason why things haven't been going my way."

"What do you mean?" asked Judai curiously.

Said the tall man in black leather, "A strange woman gave me that card a couple of weeks ago, and ever since it's been more like a curse than a gift. …But I'm here to fix that. I believe I have discovered a way to work with the Brain Jackers instead of fighting them. And that is why I've challenged you; because if I can defeat you, then I can defeat anyone."

"What is he saying?" Kenzan asked Sho.

"He's saying," answered the increasingly worried Sho, "that Judai is the ultimate opponent."

"But, didn't you say that Kaiser-saurus beat Judai before?"

Sho elaborated; "Judai's the only person from Duel Academy that ever came close to beating Onii-san. As far as he's concerned, Aniki is second only to my brother, and Yugi."

"Oh…"

"Your turn is over, I take it?" Ryo asked Judai.

Judai looked over his remaining card. "Uh… Yeah. It is." _"Damn it,"_ he thought to himself, _"how could I let this happen?"_

"Draw," said Ryo harshly. "I play Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two new cards… Now, I play Premature Burial. By paying 800 Life Points, I can bring a monster back from my Grave. And I choose my discarded Cyber Ogre."

**Kaiser: 8000- 7200 LP**

**Cyber Ogre: 1900 ATK**

"I'm afraid this is only the beginning, Judai. Next, I play Fusion. With this, I'll allow my two Cyber Ogres to merge into one: the almighty Cyber Ogre 2!"

**Cyber Ogre 2: 2600 ATK**

"Cyber Ogre 2," said Judai in a soft gasp.

Ryo then pointed straight toward E-Hero Shining Flare Wingman. "I'll attack your Shining Flare Wingman now."

"He can't do that," muttered Kenzan; "Shining Flare-saurus has way more Attack Points! It's gonna be a suicide!"

"Not so," said the overhearing Ryo. "When Cyber Ogre 2 attacks, he gains half of the amount of Attack points as the monster he's attacking!"

Judai was beside himself. "So… How many points are we talking here?"

Ryo had already done the math in his head: "1850!"

**Cyber Ogre 2: 2600- 4450 ATK**

Judai stood helplessly as his last remaining E-Hero was pulverized by a towering winged gargoyle-like monster.

**Judai: 6700- 5950 LP**

"My turn is now done," muttered Ryo darkly.

"Draw," announced Judai. He glanced at his hand and looked doubtful. "I switch Thunder Giant to Defense mode…"

**E-Hero Thunder Giant: 1500 DEF**

"And that ends my turn."

"Draw," commanded Ryo. "Cyber Ogre 2, eliminate that monster."

Though Judai wouldn't be taking any damage, losing yet another E-Hero was hurtful.

"Turn over." With that, Ryo started to smirk again, and this time it looked most unfriendly.

Judai's field was now completely empty, but he still had a sliver of hope left in his heart. "My turn… Draw." And with that, he pulled a small miracle. "I special summon E-Hero Bubbleman!"

**E-Hero Bubbleman: 1200 DEF**

"What, are you kidding me?" gasped the confused Ryo. "That is by far the most pathetic E-Hero yet."

But Judai smirked despite the outburst; "You don't get it, do you? When Bubbleman is summoned, and there's no other card on the field, I get to draw 2 cards." And so he did.

"Watch this," Kenzan elbowed Sho with a grin; "He's gonna pull a Bubbleman card next. He always does!"

"That hurt, you jerk-o-saurus," replied Sho as he rubbed his elbowed arm.

"I summon E-Hero Featherman in Defense mode, and end my turn."

**E-Hero Featherman: 1000 DEF**

Kenzan was stunned; "What!? Aniki!"

"Sorry," shrugged Judai in reply, "it was the best I could do!"

"Your best isn't good enough," said Ryo as he drew his next card. "I summon Cyber Phoenix to the field!"

**Cyber Phoenix: 1200 ATK**

"Now my monsters will annihilate all your last defenses. Attack!"

One by one, Judai's beloved heroes fell. It was beginning to be too much.

Ryo, meanwhile, remained as cold as ever. "You disappoint me, Judai. I came here looking for a real challenge, and all I get is this small boy and his comic book hero rip-offs. As I now look back on our first duel, I am ashamed at myself for having tied you! I see now that it was all done by luck! You're no-"

"Onii-san, stop it!"

Ryo gasped and snapped out of his rant. He could now see Sho standing there, behind Judai, glaring at him angrily.

Sho kept yelling, "What is wrong with you, Onii-san!? You never talked like this before. You never even dressed this way before! You're like a total stranger!"

Hearing those words, Ryo became overwhelmed with guilt. But at the same time, he was also stunned that his little brother, who had always been so quiet, was now yelling at him.

"Sho…? I…"

But then Judai lifted his arm, shielding his small friend. "It's okay, Sho. Let me handle this."

"Aniki?" softened Sho's voice.

Judai gave him a nod; "It's no big deal. We'll straighten things out when this is over. But I can keep going; this duel's not done yet."

Judai's newfound confidence was enough to convince Sho that things would soon be looking up, so he gave his Big Bro a nod back, and stepped back to the sidelines.

Meanwhile, Ryo fell into deep thought. _"Sho was right… That wasn't me talking at all. I never trash-talk my opponents, not ever! What the hell came over me?"_

Then suddenly, he heard a feminine voice whisper into his ear: _"Don't let them confuse you, Kaiser-san. You truly are better than this small boy; you are a champion, and you must let him know it…"_

Kaiser gulped; he knew that to be Allure Queen's voice… but how he was able to imagine her now, of all places, is what really spooked him. But he couldn't think of it now…

"Turn over."

That was Judai's cue: "My turn. Draw!"

What could he possibly do now to turn the tide, he wondered?

_.._

"There you are!" called out Asuka.

The sound of Asuka's voice stunned him, as Manjyome walked out of the shop in which he traded in some of his rarest cards for cash. He gulped nervously as he turned around to face her. "…T-Tenjoin-kun?"

Asuka crossed her arms. "Judai told me what you're up to. Did you really think you could sail all the way to Duel Island by yourself, Manjyome-kun?"

He gave her a face. "Did he say I was buying a boat? That stupid slacker; I told him I was saving up for a yacht!"

"None of that matters right now," frowned Asuka.

Misawa chimed in with, "Judai is in trouble."

Manjyome's face faltered. "Judai?" From the top of his spiky hair, the Ojama Brothers popped out their heads in curiosity.

"Yes." Misawa nodded. "Ryo-san has challenged him to a duel, and he needs us to support him right now."

The boy in black was confused. "Judai can handle himself. It's not like he's a baby or anything."

Asuka explained, "It's not just Judai we're worried about, Ryo's been acting strange lately. You'd have to see it to believe it. Come on, we've got to get back there. They're dueling right now!"

She led the way for the boys to follow, back down the direction from whence they came.

..

Meanwhile…

Judai now had three cards in his hand, but only one was most appropriate for the task at hand. Ryo had no Spell or Trap cards, and at least one of his monsters was a serious threat to his Life Points. But all of that was about to change.

He gave off a big grin, one that made him feel like his old self again. "Kaiser! You should know now why I shoes to play E-Heroes in the first place. Not only do they represent all that is good and heroic in all of us, but they are also extremely versatile!"

"Versatile?" cocked Ryo's eyebrows.

"Hai," nodded Judai. "You can never go wrong with at least two of them, because when they fuse together, you get a whole new game! And in fact, most E-Heroes are still useful, even when they're in the Graveyard!"

"Explain yourself, Judai."

"With pleasure!" cheered the brunette as he flung out his new card. "I play the Spell card entitled _Miracle Fusion_! This plays a lot like _Dragon's Mirror_, or _Overload Fusion_. Only this time, it works exclusively for E-Heroes. So I'm removing from play: E-Heroes Featherman, Burst Lady, Bubbleman, and Clayman…"

Four beams of light- one green, another red, another yellow and another blue, all launched from Judai's Graveyard like fireworks. And when they hit the sky, they exploded just as vibrantly. And from that explosion emerged a whole new muscular warrior, covered in gold and donning an "E" on his chest much like Superman's "S."

"Behold, the ultimate E-Hero: E-Hero Elixier!"

**E-Hero Elixier: 2900 ATK**

Judai proceeded with his move: "Once Elixier is summoned, I can bring all monsters removed from play back to their respective decks, and since I've removed four heroes-"

"Then you get your deck reconfigured," concluded Ryo, who at that moment looked genuinely impressed.

"Right," smiled the enthusiastic Judai as he reshuffled his deck. "But wait, there's more! See, E-Hero Elixier counts as a Light, a Fire, a Wind, a Water, AND an Earth-type monster. And, he gains 300 Attack points for any other monster on the field with the same Attributes as he has."

Ryo had to pause to look over his monsters. "I'm almost certain they're both… No, wait! …My Cyber Phoenix is a Fire-type. …And my Cybre Ogre 2 is-"

"An Earth-type!" smirked Judai, "And you know what that means!"

**E-Hero Elixier: 2900- 3500 ATK**

"Now," said Judai to Kaiser, "tell me this. Does Cyber Ogre 2 gain attack points whenever HE'S attacked?"

Ryo squinted his eyes. "No."

"Alright, then! E-Hero Elixier, attack Cyber Ogre 2!"

With one firm punch, Elixier had sliced the gargoyle-like creature right in two, and it exploded.

**Kaiser: 7200- 6300 LP**

"That ends my turn," concluded Judai, as he savored this seemingly grand victory.

Meanwhile, Kenzan and Sho were both cheering him on, even jumping up and down in delight.

"My draw…" said Ryo in a far less confident tone as before. He glanced over to the new card, and saw that it was his third Brain Jacker. He was stunned.

"No… Not now… I don't need this _now_!"

Judai noticed his opponent's distress; "…Kaiser? What's wrong?"

Even Sho was now looking concerned for his older brother. But Ryo wouldn't have noticed it, for he was becoming absorbed in his own self doubt.

"I'm going to lose… because of this thing…" he muttered to himself as his eyes began to lose focus. But he had very little choice now, with this being the only Monster in his hand.

"I summon Brain Jacker in Defense mode. Then I switch Cyber Phoenix to Defense mode and end my turn."

**Brain Jacker: 900 DEF**

**Cyber Phoenix: 1600 DEF**

"My turn. Draw!" exclaimed Judai.

"_I don't want to lose… I don't want to lose…"_ Ryo's thoughts started to cycle, as his heartbeat started to pound faster, and faster...

"E-Hero Elixier, attack Brain Jacker!"

"_I don't want to lose, I don't want to lose, I don't want to lose…"_

Elixier was just a breath away from slicing up the defensive Brain Jacker, when all of a sudden…

**WHOOSH!**

…It hit Cyber Phoenix!

"What!?" gasped a stunned Judai, as he realized what went wrong.

Ryo let out a gasp; he realized that the target was switched to his defensive Cyber Phoenix! "What… Oh! …You've destroyed my phoenix, and that means I get to draw a new card!" And that he did.

"But…" pouted Judai, "…I was aiming for the Brain Jacker."

.

"What happened?" gasped Kenzan nearby. "Aniki-saurus was aiming for the Brain Jacker-don! Wasn't he?"

"He was," nodded Sho. "…That Brain Jacker… is unlike anything I've ever seen before!"

.

"…What now, Judai?" asked a less stressed Ryo.

"I set a card and end my turn." Judai knew that whatever happened next, his face-down Negate Attack could stop it.

"My turn. Draw!"

Judai was still reeling by the sudden change of mind by his own monster… but it was about to get even worse. During Ryo's Standby Phase, the once heavenly-looking E-Hero Elixier was now starting to darken. In fact, its whole aura was now turning jet black.

"…What's this?" blinked Judai. "What's going on!? Elixier?"

Ryo realized all too quickly what was going on. His Brain Jacker was behind this strange twist of fate; its eye started to glow orange and its aura was now matching the one around E-Hero Elixier.

Then, the little demon launched itself with the agility of a frog, and latched onto the head of Elixier like a spider would its prey. Judai watched helplessly, as his monster was taken over by the smaller, weaker demon.

"Yes…" whispered Ryo to himself. "At long last… it's finally on _my_ side."

"What's happening!?" gasped Judai in horror, as the Brain Jacker positioned itself ontop of Elixier's head- just as its own body was shaped like a brain, it now appeared to be the E-Hero's new brain.

"Yes, Brain Jacker, that's it!" exclaimed Ryo. "Bring him to me!"

On command, the tiny demon forced the E-Hero over to Ryo's side of the field. Judai's jaw dropped in disbelief. His own monster was now his enemy.

**E-Hero Elixier: 2900 ATK**

"This can't be happening," growled Kenzan. "Brain Jacker's effect doesn't work like that! Kaiser-saurus is cheating!"

"No…" replied a disheartened Sho. "He was right all along… Onii-san's deck is truly cursed."

Meanwhile, Ryo was overwhelmed by a sense of glory he had not felt in quite a while. "…Does this mean I have finally tamed my deck?"

"_Yes,"_ cooed the ghostly voice of Allure Queen in his ear. _"It was your will to win that caused this. Your monsters can feel your inner strength now."_

"My will to win…" echoed Ryo softly, as he gazed in a trance.

"…K-Kaiser?" gulped Judai anxiously. He could see the bewitched look in Ryo's eyes. But Ryo couldn't hear him; he had someone else in his head.

"_Play your next card,"_ whispered the female voice.

And so he did; said Ryo, "I play the Spell card Cyclone. This will destroy the face-down card that's guarding you, Judai."

A whirlwind blew the face-down Negate Attack away; Judai was now wide open for a direct attack.

And it was only going to get worse. Said Ryo next, " Now, I play Monster Reborn on my Cyber Dragon!"

**Cyber Dragon: 2100 ATK**

The metal Cydra no longer seemed to be under the influence of the misfit Brain Jackers. However, it maintained its dark image, as black lightning flickered from its silver scales.

"_Finish him now, Kaiser-san. Give this ridiculous boy a taste of his own medicine!"_

"Judai," said Ryo, "you've played honorably. But now, the duel is at last in _my_ favor! …Attack, my monsters!"

Judai gripped onto the Transcendant Wings in his hand; "…Hane Kuriboh… where are you when I need you?"

**FOOM!**

**Judai: 5950- 950 LP**

The blow was so overwhelming to Judai that he fell on his back with great force.

"ANIKI!" screamed Sho and Kenzan in horror, as their best friend took the terrible blows.

Normally, holograms wouldn't deal so much pain… but Judai realized at last that this was no ordinary game. As he fell, he could feel an unnatural force around him that seemed to emulate the dark energy that was now taking over Ryo. …And it was actually quite painful.

"Aniki," echoed Sho as he and Kenzan ran to Judai's side. The two of them held him up, and could see bruises on his face.

Sho was horrified; he glanced up at Ryo with trembling hands. "Onii-san… what have you done?"

"What have I done?" replied Ryo darkly. "…What have I _done_? I have gained control of this duel, that's what I've done! Your friend there doesn't seem to want to accept it, but I suppose it's because he's not used to losing."

"How dare you!" roared Kenzan angrily. "First of all, you're not even playing fairly!"

Ryo only responded with an ice-cold stare.

But then, Judai finally opened his eyes. "…uhh… what hit me?"

"Let me tackle him, Aniki," hissed Kenzan as he shot a death glare at Ryo.

Judai gently rubbed his beaten head. "…What's going on? …Are we fighting?"

"Let's GO, ladies!" tapped Ryo's boot. "I came here to duel, not dance around."

"…Kaiser," murmured Judai in his weakened state. He tried to force himself up on his feet, but slouched in failure.

"Judai, it's your turn! Make it count."

"…I… I draw…" But Judai soon lost his grip on his cards after drawing a new one from his deck. Dueling had now become a struggle for him, and what hurt even more was the fact that one of his own beloved monsters was on the opposing side.

"This is truly pathetic," said Ryo to himself.

"_Finish him…"_

Ryo winced in shock; was that his own inner voice speaking, or was it Allure Queen again?

"_Finish him, Kaiser…"_

"…I…"

"_You don't want to lose."_

"…I won't lose. I _can't_ lose now…"

"_Attack."_

"Why?"

"_Attack him! Do it now!"_

"…It's his turn."

"_DO IT NOW!"_

"Augh!" Ryo gripped onto his head in frustration. "Enough! Get out of my head, you witch!"

"Huh?" gasped Sho.

"STOP IT!" screamed Ryo to… no one. "Don't make me cheat anymore! I don't want to win this way! I…"

"_You don't want to lose!"_

"I don't want to lose…"

"_You need this win."_

"…I need this win… I… Ugh… E-Hero Elixier, ATTACK!"

Judai had just begun to regain his balance, when he witnessed his possessed E-Hero charging at him! He could do no more than just gasp in fear.

But just when all seemed lost, a small figure jumped right into the fray: "NO! STOP!" he screamed.

"SHO!" gasped Ryo, realizing that his little brother had leapt onto the field! "Elixier! _Stop!_"

The possessed E-Hero was just a breath away from Sho's trembling face, when it obeyed its new master. It slowly drifted back to Ryo's side of the field.

Judai was also trembling at the sight. "Sho…!"

"Marufuji-san! What are you doing!?" gasped Kenzan.

Sho stood his ground in defiance, as he stared down his older brother with an unfamiliar look of courage in his eyes. "…Aniki, give me your duel disk."

"What?" blinked Judai.

"Give me your duel disk! I'm taking over this duel."

"You're WHAT?" dropped Kenzan's jaw

"Sho!" gasped Judai in shock.

Sho replied, "You're too weak to finish this. Let me take over for you."

"Stay out of this, Ototo-chan!" warned Ryo from where he stood. "This is none of your business."

But Sho raised his arms. "When you purposely hurt my best friend, Nii-san, you _made_ it my business!"

"Sho, don't!" gulped Judai. "You don't know what he's capable of…"

But Sho then searched through his small yellow jacket, and pulled out a deck of cards. "I always have my deck with me. Let me face him, Aniki."

"Sho!" growled Ryo darkly. "You have no chance against me, Sho. I'm a much stronger duelist now than I ever was!"

"All the more reason to duel you, Nii-san!"

"But Sho…" murmured the still weakened Judai.

His best friend looked back at him and gave him a nod. "It'll be okay, Aniki. I'm not afraid to face him anymore." He then looked back at Ryo. "This is between you and me now, Onii-san!"

Judai could no longer protest, but still looked on with great concern. He knew this was going to be tough for little Sho, even if he would start with a fresh new deck.

With 6300 Life Points, Ryo looked on cold-heartedly. At this point, he no longer cared who his opponent was.

Sho, meanwhile, stared him off with that unusual defiant glare, and a glimmer of hope that somehow he could win and knock his older brother back to his senses.

…And with only 950 Life Points left, it was very little hope indeed.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter: Roid Rage**

Featured Duel(s): **Kaiser Ryo vs. Sho (in proceedings of Ryo vs. Judai)**

.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

"The Society of Light"- Also known as "The White Organization;" in the original sub version of the "Yu-Gi-Oh: Gx" anime, Manjyome had lost his spiritual bond with the Ojama Trio when he was brainwashed by Saiou "Sartorious" in the dub. This was not the case, however, in the dubbed English version. This explains why some readers may be confused by my retelling of the incident in this chapter.


	8. Roid Rage

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Eight: "Roid Rage"**

I

"_Why can't you be more like your big brother Ryo?"_

That was a comment little Sho's mother gave him once, when he was very little. Some would think he was much too young to ever remember it again… but they would be wrong. Those words would haunt him all the way through his teenage years, buried deep within his subconscious, only to hear them whisper again and again in his dreams.

Sho came into the family very unexpectedly, as his parents were only interested in having one child. Once they had Ryo, all of their plans came into motion. They already had the best schools, the best clothes, and the best outdoor activities all picked out for him. But then, just when they were beginning to foresee Ryo going off to college, Sho came along with hardly any warning.

This felt like a setback into the Marufuji plans, but only at first. _Surely_, they thought, _that whatever Ryo would be good at or interested in, his new little brother would fall in suit_. And so, both young boys were entered in sports and contests together.

…But it didn't go as well as they had planned. Ryo seemed to conquer every chessboard, every jigsaw puzzle, and every other game that had been placed in front of him. Sho, however, wasn't as good. …In fact, one would say that his skills were nothing short of mediocre.

He tried, and tried, but nothing Sho did could match his brother's skills. Ryo was the family's golden child. And Sho was… well… just Sho. And it hurt him deep inside; he knew his parents would love him no matter what, but they had unknowingly put in their second child a burning passion to excel beyond his limitations. He did it only to impress his big brother, if nothing else.

Then, when he was about ten years old, Sho had finally found a game that both he and his brother learned to love: Duel Monsters. And of course, as usual, Ryo had picked up on the game's key strategies long before Sho even knew what "Quick-play Spell" meant. But that didn't stop the little blunette from playing. After all, it was all just fun and games for him.

But just as he started to truly feel a connection with his perfect brother, something went wrong- something that would have him question his own purpose in life all over again.

It happened while Sho was in elementary school, as he was dueling a friend named Gorisuke. The sun was setting on a near perfect day in the local playground. By that time, Sho's Life Points were a mere 1600, and his field only had two Vehicroids: a squad car named Patroid, and a helicopter named Gyroid. Meanwhile, Gorisuke only had an Iron Warrior Gearfried and a face down card on the field, but he was in the lead with 1900 Life Points.

The turn had come to Sho, and he had drawn a very special spell card that his "Dear Brother" had given him. He cheered upon drawing it, for he knew what it would do: he would use it to fuse the Steamroid in his hand with the Gyroid on his field, creating the fusion monster Steam Gyroid (2200 ATK). Furthermore, it would double the Attack Points of the Fusion monster, and its attack would surely bring him victory.

And so, Sho announced his move to his opponent. "Ha! You're gonna be sorry you challenged me to a duel now, Gorisuke! Up until now people have been treating me like a fool, but I'm gonna prove them all wrong!"

"Oh yeah?" protested the opponent. "Then let's see what you got already, pipsqueak!"

"Fine then! I summon Steamroid to the field…"

**Steamroid: 1800 ATK**

"…and then I play Power Bond! This will fuse my Steamroid and Gyroid together to create Steam Gyroid, and double its attack points!"

**Steam Gyroid: 4400 ATK**

"And now," announced the overconfident Sho, "I'll attack with-"

"Stop the duel!" came an abrupt voice.

Sho turned around, shocked to see his taller brother marching into the scene. He watched hesitantly as Ryo apologized to Gorisuke, and gave him a card in compensation. Gorisuke seemed pleased with the offer, and took off peacefully.

Sho glared up at his brother angrily. "What!? Onii-san, how dare you interfere! I was going to win!"

"No Sho, you weren't," shook Ryo's head. "You were going to waste a perfectly good spell card just now."

"What!? But how?"

Ryo looked down at the abandoned duel disk of Gorisuke, and picked it up to observe the cards in place. "Look at the field, little brother. What do you see?"

"…Iron Knight Gearfied?"

"Don't you see anything else, Sho? Look closely now."

Sho was then forced to look beyond the Iron Knight, and saw… "A face-down card."

Ryo then turned the card over; it was a Trap. "It's Spellbinding Circle. This trap would have stopped your Steam Gyroid's attack. Then, as your turn would end, Power Bond would have taken Life Points away from you equal to Steam Gyroid's original Attack points."

Sho gasped in horror; Ryo was right! Power Bond _did_ have a terrible setback to it. "Oh! …I forgot."

"You would have lost, Sho." With those words, Ryo gave a very cold stare. "I would not have given this card to you if I knew you'd abuse it like this."

"But… But Onii-san…"

Ryo then gave the card back to his brother and began to walk away. But he remained cold and emotionless as he said, "I forbid you to use that card until you've learned how to use it more properly. Until you can do that, Sho, you must seal it away."

Poor Sho; deep down his brother meant well in saving him from certain humiliation. But knowing how much he had disappointed his dear brother was overwhelming. He hung his head in utter shame, as he slipped back into his brother's shadow once again.

..

_Present Day._

Ryo was certainly not the person he once was; now donned in black and presumably brainwashed by the dark essence that was now pouring out of his duel deck, he had become an absolute terror. Not just for little Sho, but for everyone including Judai who was now being held up on his feet by Kenzan. He still had bruises on his face from being dealt a heavy blow in his duel with Kaiser.

But the duel was not quite over; Sho had stepped in before his older brother could do any more serious damage to his "Aniki." So now here is where the field stood:

**Kaiser: 6300 LP**

On his field was a newly reborn Cyber Dragon at 2100 ATK, and Judai's E-Hero Elixier, possessed by a Brain Jacker, at 2900 ATK

**Sho: 950 LP**

He had nothing on his field just yet, but he was fortunate (and thoughtful) enough to have his own deck of Vehicroids with him, and had been granted a chance to start his turn with a fresh hand of five cards.

"Sho…" said Ryo darkly, "you should have stayed out of this like I warned you to. You've already seen what my new and improved deck could do. Look what it did to your pathetic friend Judai."

The shorter player glared at Ryo through a pair of small thin glasses. "That's exactly why I have to do this: to make you stop hurting people!"

"Sho," came Judai's weakened voice; "be careful! E-Hero Elixier will get stronger if you play monsters with his elements."

"Aniki," whispered Sho to himself; he then focused on the stolen E-Hero on his older brother's field. It killed him inside to see one of Judai's monsters posing as an adversary, and he could only imagine how much it was hurting poor Judai inside.

"Right then," said Sho with a deep breath. "My turn. Draw!"

**Sho: 950 – 1450 LP**

"Huh?" hummed Sho and company.

Ryo grimaced, "My Brain Jacker's effect lets the former owner of its keep gain 500 Life Points, and since you're taking over for Judai, then those Life Points go to you, little brother."

"Well," muttered Kenzan, "at least he's not cheating."

"Alrighty then," replied Sho as he held up a card. "Let's get this party started! I summon Submarineroid in Attack mode!"

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

**E-Hero Elixier: 3200 ATK**

Judai winced at his former monster's attack boost, and feared that Sho was now in for a world of hurt.

But Sho had other plans. "Let me explain my monster's effect to you, Onii-san. He's allowed to attack you directly, and whenever he attacks, I get the option of switching him to Defense mode afterwards. So here goes! Submarineroid, attack Onii-san directly!"

The toon-eyed blue sub unleashed an equally toony missile, which dropped into the sand as if it were water, and bypassed the whole field until it at last collided with Ryo from under his feet.

"**Foom!"**

**Kaiser: 6300 – 5500 ATK**

Though a wave of dust hit him, Ryo barely even reacted to the attack. But that was typical of him, and didn't phase Sho.

"I'll switch my monster to Defense mode now," he commanded.

**Submarineroid: 1800 ATK**

"That's the smartest move you've made so far," commented Ryo.

"I'm not done yet! I'm setting two cards face down, and then I'll end my turn.

"Draw!" yelled Kaiser. "Cyber Dragon, attack!"

The little toony submarine covered its eyes as the big dark serpent charged at it.

"Not so fast!" said Sho with an extended arm. "Trap card open: _Cyber Repairer_! This card protects all my Machine monsters in battle, but in return you get to draw one card."

"As you wish," said Ryo as he drew a new card. "I'll place these two cards down, and end my turn."

.

"Whew!" Judai and Kenzan took a moment to breathe a deep sigh of relief. "Marufuji-san got outta that one alright."

"Yeah… but how long can he keep it up?" was the burning question.

Finally, the missing third of the team ran into the scene and took their place beside Judai and Kenzan. Asuka doubled over to catch her breath before asking, "We're here! ….What'd we miss?"

"Um, everything," blinked Kenzan.

Manjyome and Misawa exchanged confused glances. "What happened?" gasped Sanda. "I thought this was Judai's duel."

"It was," said a still weakened Judai. "But Sho stepped in when Ryo had me on the ropes."

"Judai," frowned Misawa in concern, "you don't look so good."

.

"My turn. Draw!" Sho commanded.

**Sho: 1450 – 1950 LP**

"Another 500 Life Points to you, Sho," Kaiser reminded him. "You should perhaps thank me for playing Brain Jacker."

Sho narrowed his eyes angrily. "Don't patronize me, Onii-san. None of this would be happening right now if that monster wasn't in your deck."

"Yes," nodded the dark Kaiser. "It's true, this monster is the source to my deck's new power."

"But power never mattered to you, Onii-san. Why does it matter now?"

Ryo gritted his teeth in frustration. "You're just prolonging the inevitable, Sho. But you can't talk me out of this. I _will_ beat you."

"I don't care about winning or losing, Onii-san! Don't you understand that!?"

Ryo paused, looking as though he was taken back by Sho's words.

Then Sho went on; "Ever since I started playing this game, I thought winning was most important. But you taught me early on that winning isn't everything. Don't you remember, big brother?"

"Of course I remember… It's just that… Things are different now."

"No… Nothing's changed except your deck. Look at your Cyber Dragon, Onii-san. …Look at it!"

Ryo's eyes turned over to the tainted Cydra on his field. It was jolting with rage, ready to kill.

"I don't know how or why it happened, but your deck's become evil, Onii-san! And what's worse, it's changing you too. If you let it control you, you'll…" Sho couldn't bear the thought of his brother turning evil, and his eyes started to well up in tears. But he had to say it: ""You're gonna turn as dark and evil as that deck! You can't let that happen! Onii-san!"

"Shut up!" growled the dark Kaiser. "I'm not being controlled by anything, you fool! I'm in complete control! Now, make your move already!"

"Ugh," breathed Sho, as he was forced to look over the four cards in hand. "Alright then… I'm switching Submarineroid back to Attack mode."

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

"Next, I summon Drillroid in Attack mode."

**Drillroid: 1600 ATK**

"Those Vehicroids are all so cute," muttered Judai softly.

Kenzan overheard him. "Yeah, but they're still not as strong as the Cyber-saurus."

"And it gets worse," frowned Judai, as he watched his stolen E-Hero Elixier become even stronger than before.

**E-Hero Elixier: 3500 ATK**

"Hmph," smirked Ryo. "You're only making one of my monsters become stronger. You should be more careful, Sho."

"That is _not_ your monster!" snapped Sho; "And besides, I'm only getting started! I activate my Trap card: Forbidden Entry! This Trap forces E-Hero Elixier to Defense mode."

**E-Hero Elixier: 2600 DEF**

"Yeah! Alrig-oww. Ow." cheered Judai, jumping for joy and then immediately grasping his side in pain.

"So what?" shrugged Ryo. "Your monsters are still dwarfed by my monsters' power."

"Ha!" smiled Sho. "You've forgotten, my Drillroid has a special effect. Whenever it attacks a monster in Defense mode, that monster automatically dies, and no damage calculation is made. So go, Drillroid, attack E-Hero Elixier!"

The mole-shaped tank covered in drills went rolling up to the stolen hero at top speed, ready to drive right through it. But…

"I chain my _Fusion Guard_!" exclaimed Ryo, flipping a violet card up. "I'll then remove a Fusion monster from my Fusion deck to cancel out your attack." With that, he snatched his Cyber Twin Dragon card, and tossed it into the air.

In reaction to the trap, a faint green force field appeared before E-Hero Elixier. Drillroid collided with it, and fell backward in defeat.

"Ugh!" groaned Sho. "…I was hoping to free Judai's monster that time… But no worries. Submarineroid, it's your turn! Hit my brother directly!"

As before, the toony blue sub unleashed a toony red missile, which went underground and caused a mole-like tremor in the sand, before exploding at Ryo's feet once again.

**Kaiser: 5500 - 4700 LP**

"I'll now switch my Submarineroid to Defense mode."

**Submarineroid: 1800 DEF**

Ryo was coughing through the smoky air, but then he sneered, "It's no use, Sho. In my next turn, I'll switch E-Hero Elixier back to Attack mode, and I will end this humiliation."

"That's what you think," narrowed Sho's eyes. "I'll now play _Mesmeric Control_! This spell card sees to it that your monsters can't change their battle positions until your second standby phase."

.

"Woo-hoo!" jumped Kenzan. "Atta boy, Marufuji-san!"

Asuka then turned to the dinosaur duelist. "Isn't that your card he just used?"

"Well, sort of," grinned Kenzan proudly. "I told him once it comes in handy, and I guess he took my advice to heart and got one for himself."

"At least he's safe for now," sighed Judai.

.

Sho then made his final move, "I'll set one card face down, and end my turn." That left him with just one card in hand.

Ryo looked on with narrowed eyes and a chilling smile. "Hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm-hmm… Still trying to prolong the inevitable, little brother? How sad…"

Even Sho's friends were wondering how long he could keep this up before the Kaiser bounced back.

..

II

_Flashback: One year earlier_

It would come to no surprise that Sho would start his years at Duel Academy in Osiris Red, the lowest-ranking dorm of the school- "the home of losers" as it was called. It was just as well, since after all he was already on the bottom of his family's pecking order. And throughout his first year at the academy, he had very little hope of moving up in the ranks.

But that was going to change in his second year, as Professor Chronos had granted him the rare opportunity to duel an Obelisk Blue student for the prize of being promoted into Ra Yellow.

On the way to the arena where he would face his chosen opponent, Kochou Ran, Sho had almost literally bumped into an easily-irritated Manjyome.

"Hey! Watch yourself!" snapped the disturbed teen in black, before he noticed the red boy holding something. "…What are you doing out here? Aren't you supposed to be dueling today?"

"Please," panted Sho as he held up a small envelope; "give this to Aniki, Manjyome-kun. It's very important."

"Why don't you just give it to him yourself, twerp?"

"PLEASE," he said loudly with a proper bow.

It was enough, at least, to calm Manjyome's nerves. "Fine…" He snatched up the envelope, not hearing Sho saying thanks nor seeing him dart off.

Sho and Judai's brotherly relationship always seemed to creep Manjyome out, and for a moment he relished on the thought that this could be a secret love letter. His curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the envelope… But to his surprise, there was Duel Monster card inside.

Minutes later, Sho's closest friends- and Manjyome- gathered in the high level of the dueling arena to watch Sho duel against Ran- a young lady with wildly parted red hair (that one would say resembled insect wings, and quite rightly, since she was using an Insect deck).

Halfway into the duel, Ran had literally gained field advantage with her Field Spell called Pollinated Flower Garden. It had a very unusual effect, besides turning the arena into a virtual paradise; it allowed Ran to switch control of her low-level Insect monsters over to her opponent. That would be considered foolhardy to most duelists, but Ran had a backup plan. She had Insect Princess, a woman-figured butterfly which started at 1900 ATK points and had only gotten stronger when attacking other Insects.

She also had two Ant tokens on the field, which moved over to Sho's field as soon as the insect girl's Field Spell was put in play. Then, she forced those tokens to attack Insect Princess with her Insect Pheromone spell. By the time this turn was done, Sho's Life Points were at a staggering 700.

But just when all hope seemed lost, Sho's fighting spirit kicked in. He held up what he called a triumphant card, but just when everyone expected to see Power Bond in play, he instead played Submarineroid (for the very first time).

Judai looked concerned. "Why hasn't he played Power Bond yet? I know he can use it!"

"He's not going to play it," muttered Manjyome darkly; "He doesn't have it in his deck." With that, the teen in black passed a small envelope over to Judai.

When Judai opened it, his eyes widened with shock. "Wha… Power Bond? But… how?"

"Manjyome-saurus!" roared a furious Kenzan at Manjyome, who nearly leaped out of his skin. "How DARE you steal that card from Marufuji-sempai!"

Manjyome raised his arms defensively; "What!? No! I didn't steal it that card, he GAVE it to me!"

"What!?" snapped Judai in disbelief.

"To give to his Ani- I mean Judai!" sputtered Manjyome.

Judai understood this, and looked back onto the duel. "Sho…" Even after all their pep talks and all their friendly duels, his little friend was still afraid of that card Ryo had forbid him to play…

But the duel wasn't over yet, as Sho placed a card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone…

..

_Present Day._

The current duel was now turning over to Ryo. He was well in the lead with 4700 Life Points. On his draw, he had only two cards in hand, neither of which he seemed interested in.

.

But as Ryo quietly took his time, Judai quickly explained their situation to their reunited friends. "Kaiser-san really wailed on me," he frowned as he pointed to a bruise on his left cheek. "I got this when I was hit directly by a monster."

"That's not possible," said Misawa. "This is all just holographic imagery! …Isn't it?"

Kenzan answered, "Something about Kaiser-saurus' deck. It's gone all loco and evil!"

.

"Enough chit-chat," growled the dark Kaiser. "Cyber Dragon, destroy Drillroid!"

Sho braced himself, as the grey metallic Cydra snaked toward the defenseless Drillroid, and devoured it.

**Sho: 1450 – 950 LP**

"Ugh!" Sho dropped to a knee, as if he himself had taken the hit from Cyber Dragon.

"Sho!" cried out mostly everyone from the sidelines.

"…I'm… okay," whispered Sho, hiding the pain he was feeling all over. "…I chain _Super Charge_, allowing me to draw two new cards." He did so, but one could see that he had new scratches on his hands.

.

"What is going on here?" murmured the shocked Manjyome; "Why is this duel so… so life-like?" Nobody could answer him, as they all looked increasingly fearful for their smallest friend. Especially Asuka, who looked like she was holding back tears.

"I end my turn," said Ryo confidently.

Sho was about to draw his next card, when he heard the familiar voice of Asuka cry out, "Sho! Stop!" He slowly turned around to face her.

"Stop this duel," she pleaded; "it's only getting worse as you go along. You don't have to suffer like this, you know."

"She's right Sho," said Misawa worriedly. "Just surrender now, and save yourself."

Sho paused as he looked at them all.

But then Ryo started to chuckle. "Yes, Sho; surrender now. End this pointless suffering."

But Sho glared at him angrily. "Onii-san. You're not yourself anymore. Even if I did surrender, you'd still attack me, just like you attacked Judai while it was still his turn!"

"…He's right," frowned Judai. "Kaiser is playing by his own rules now. And he doesn't even care about who he hurts anymore… Not even his own brother."

"Can't we stop this?" asked Asuka in desperation. "Can't we do anything!?"

"You'd dare interfere?" asked Ryo darkly. At that moment, his eyes flashed pitch black as he gave her a cold stare. Only when he heard his brother yelling did he snap back to his true self.

"Onii-san!" shouted Sho, "it's ME you want!" Then he drew his next card.

.

**Sho: 950 – 1450 LP**

"I switch Submarineroid back to Attack mode."

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

"Now, Submarineroid, attack Onii-san again!"

Kaiser cringed at the sight of another borrowing torpedo coming his way. "This is getting so damn annoying," he growled, as he decided to change Sho's plans.

"I activate my Trap card, _Power Wall._ This lets me discard any number of cards from my deck, and for every card I remove, I'll reduce the battle damage by one hundred." And do, to reduce the damage to zero, he tossed out eight cards from his deck, and they flew into the air like dust.

**Kaiser: 4700 LP**

Sho cringed in aggravation as he switched his submarine monster back to 1800 Defense mode.

"It serves you right," mocked the Kaiser, "for using such weak and pathetic monsters. Look at them, every single one of them looks like a child's toy! …But you know something? Their immaturity truly compliments you."

"How dare you, Kaiser!" shouted Asuka from the sidelines.

"No," smirked Sho; "he's right…" All eyes and ears then turned to Sho as he remained calm with a faint smile on his face. "When I was first starting out in this game, I didn't know what monsters to play. Then my brother… my _real_ brother… showed me the Vehicroids. He told me they were 'cute and innocent, just like' me. He also taught me that despite their looks, they each have a hidden strength, and that is also like me… So I took his advice, and I learned that what he said about them was right. The Vehicroids and I really are the same… And that's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Hmph," hummed the Kaiser darkly.

Sho then stared him in the eyes. "You don't remember those days, do you Onii-san? …Don't you remember anything?"

From where he stood, Sho could see that Ryo was struggling. But he couldn't help him. "Before you answer that," said Sho, "I'm going to set one card face down, and summon Decoyroid in Defense mode."

**Decoyroid: 500 DEF**

.

"Why'd he do that?" blinked a confused Manjyome.

"Because," answered Judai, "while Decoyroid is on the field, Kaiser can only attack it. That should keep Sho's Life Points safe, at the least."

"But what about that one?" frowned Asuka, looking at the stolen E-Hero on the Kaiser's field. "In his next turn, Ryo's going to switch E-Hero Elixier in attack mode, and when he does…"

Judai didn't even want to think about it if that were to happen…

..

III

_Flashback: One year earlier_

On Ran's next turn, she summoned another weak Insect- this one called Magic Longicorn, and moved it over to Sho's side. Then her Insect Princess was ready for the kill.

But Sho's face down card, as it happened, was Forbidden Entry. Just as Ran believed she pulled the winning blow, her monster was denied a chance to destroy Sho's remaining monsters, and Insect Princess was forced to Defense mode. After that, Ran was forced to end her turn.

She noticed Sho's confidence growing, and became quite upset by it. "You think you've already won this duel?" she cried out. "You're nothing more than Yuki Judai's henchman! A lackey! Everybody knows it's my dream to go to the Pro Leagues and personally meet the Kaiser, so do us all a favor and stop interrupting my dream!"

"Hey now," argued Sho, "you're not the only one with dreams around here! It's true that all my life I've been chasing after my brother… and then chasing my Big Brother… but now I've decided, I'm sick and tired of chasing! I'm gonna get stronger until I can finally walk together _with_ them!"

Then, he unleashed his secret weapon: a Spell called _Vehicroid Connection Zone_. It played a lot like Fusion, but in this case it worked specifically for Vehicroid Fusions. Better yet, Ran's monster, Magic Longicorn, could not destroy its effect. Then, he summoned a Fusion of Drillroid, Steamroid, and Submarineroid…

**Super Vehicriod Jumbo Drill: 3000 ATK**

Once Jumbo Drill attacked, its "piercing" effect was activated, and while it plunged into the defensive Insect Princess, Ran was forced to take battle damage, and her Life Points dropped to a dead zero.

At that moment, Sho should have been extremely proud of himself; he had finally proven his worthiness in the dueling ring. But one thing had not changed…

Later on that day, when he and his friends gathered into the Manjyome house for one last moment as an Osiris Red, Judai tried to give him back his Power Bond card. "Here Sho," he said. "Take this card back. You deserve it, after all."

But Sho shook his head. "No… That card is more like a reminder I have for my brother now. It symbolizes him, and I only want to play it when I know for sure that I'm ready for it. …Besides, I wanna see the look on his face when I finally do play it. And win."

..

_Present Day._

"It is time," announced the dark Kaiser, "to end this duel!" He drew a new card. "First, let us bring E-Hero Elixier back into play, shall we?"

**E-Hero Elixier: 3500 ATK**

"Oh, no you don't!" shouted Sho defiantly. "I'm going to free Aniki's monster once and for all! Go, _Ring of Vitality_!"

"What!?" growled Kaiser.

"This trap card," explained Sho, "destroys one monster on the field, and then we both gain Life Points equal to that monster's Defense points. And I choose him: E-Hero Elixier!"

The Brain Jacker attached to the E-Hero's head was particularly horrified and let out a small yelp, as both it and the E-Hero disappeared in a cloud of golden dust.

**Kaiser: 7300 LP**

**Sho: 4050 LP**

Kaiser was utterly stunned. "My… My Brain Jacker… You've destroyed it!"

"YES! Hooray!" cheered the crowd on the sidelines, as each of them leaped or twirled in delight. "Way to go, Sho!" applauded Judai loudly; his stamina seemed to be on the mend.

Sho just stood his ground, trying his hardest not to let their cheers distract him.

"…You fool!" growled the Kaiser at Sho. "Don't you realize what you've done!?"

"Yes," nodded Sho, "I've released Aniki's monster from your evil control."

"No, Sho… You've just destroyed the one thing that was keeping you alive in this game! Without my Brain Jacker, you won't gain 500 Life Points anymore!"

"It's a risk I was willing to take."

.

Kaiser's hands started to tremble. "…Why, Sho? …Why?" _"…If you only knew what was in my hand,"_he thought to himself.

"…_Play them,"_ whispered a female voice in his head.

"_What?"_

"_Play those cards, and destroy him."_

"…_But…"_

"_He deserves it, after all. It's his own fault… Play them!"_

.

"…Onii-san?" blinked Sho in worry.

The audience fell silent as Kaiser began to fall yet again into a zombie-like trance. His eyes alone were spooky to look at; they were as wide open as could be, and yet stared off into nothingness.

"I… I have… no choice…" he whimpered. Then, very slowly, he came back to reality. "I play my Spell card _Fusion_, and with it I'm about to fuse my Cyber Dragon on the field with the two Cyber Dragons in my hand."

"What!?" gasped Judai.

"He had those Cyber Dragons all along," gulped Kenzan.

"And now," hissed Kaiser as his index finger raised up to the blackening sky, "I will introduce you to your maker, Sho. Behold, Cyber End Dragon!"

A swirling black cloud spitting yellow lightning opened up like a vortex in the air, and through it came the dreaded three-headed Cydra.

**Cyber End Dragon: 4000 ATK**

.

The audience then looked around, and noticed that the sun had suddenly disappeared from the sky. It terrified them all.

"What's going on?" worried Asuka.

"I don't know," replied Misawa softly. "This doesn't look like part of the hologram."

"It's not," feared Judai. "It's almost as though… the monster's come to life."

.

As Sho stood trembling at the overpowering machine in front of him, the Kaiser spoke, "Sho, you have left me with no choice… Cyber End, destroy his Decoyroid!"

What would have normally been a beam of white light coming from the trio of mouths of the Cydra was now pitch dark, and it not only shot straight through the tiny red car on the field, but it also seemed to go straight through to Sho. The small boy went tumbling to the ground.

**Sho: 4050 – 550 LP**

"Turn over."

"Sho! …Sho! Get up! Sho!" screamed Judai on the sidelines.

"Come on Sho, please get up!" cried out Asuka.

Then at last, the small boy's body stirred. Dazed and disoriented, he took his time to get back on his feet and face his brother once again. But he wasn't the same as he once was; one of the lenses in his glasses was cracked, and his jacket was torn, as it ripped apart by a wild animal.

"…Onii-san… You… didn't have to do that…" he whispered weakly.

As Sho allowed himself to take a moment to breathe heavily, he felt a large bead of what he thought was sweat trickling down the corner of his face. But if one could see it from a much different perspective, it was clearly not sweat. It was blood, oozing from a newly made gash from atop his head.

But the Kaiser didn't seem to care anymore. "It's your move, Sho."

"…My turn… Draw… I… I play _Pot of Greed_, and draw t-two new cards…" He struggled to draw them, but still Ryo stood emotionless.

"I… s-s-summon P-Patroid in Defense mode."

**Patroid: 1200 DEF**

"Now I switch Sub-marineroid…"

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

Sho took a deep breath. "Attack."

The Kaiser had no choice now but to let the toony sub do its thing.

**Kaiser: 4700 – 3900 LP**

"Now… back to Defense mode."

**Submarineroid: 1800 DEF**

"I'll… I'll set this card down, and end my turn." Then Sho took a deep sigh.

"Draw!" said the Kaiser forcefully. As he looked over his new card, he paused to think it over. "Sho… You said I didn't have to attack. But you're wrong. Dueling is all about attacking and winning. Just as animals hunt to survive, our monsters must do the same."

"You talk about your monsters as if they're alive," muttered Sho.

"They ARE alive!" growled Kaiser. "Haven't you figured it out by now, Sho? Look at what this duel has done to you already. How could they not be alive?"

Sho paused to wipe his sweat clean with his jacket sleeve. And then at last, as he looked at it, he saw that it was red with blood- _his_ blood.

"It took me a while to understand it as well, but I know now… My monsters are living breathing beings, and they're hungry… And as their master, I must see to it that they get their feed."

"He's freakin' lost it!" exclaimed Manjyome. The other onlookers quietly agreed with him.

"Cyber End Dragon, attack his Patroid!"

Sho saw through blurred vision that another beam of dark lightning was coming his way. He had to act fast. "I chain _Life Force_. This Trap makes me pay 400 Life Points, but in return it saves my monster from battle damage."

**Sho: 550 – 150 LP**

Kaiser gritted his teeth in frustration. "How sad… You're that desperate to cling onto life. But no matter; I'll set this card face down and end my turn."

"My turn. Draw…" It seemed like such an effort to Sho just to draw his next card, then he fell to his knees.

"Sho!" screamed Judai in horror.

"…I'm alright, Aniki…" Sho's eyes were now glazed, and his vision was getting all too blurry.

As he sat up on the ground, he moved his cards in hand right up to his face, to see what they were. Two of them were Cyroids, and the third was… some Effect monster… It looked familiar- "Oh! I see it!" he muttered joyfully.

"I summon another Submarineroid in Attack mode."

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

"Another one," narrowed the Kaiser's eyes.

"Next, I'll switch my other Submarineroid to Attack mode as well."

**Submarineroid: 800 ATK**

"Now I… Wait." Sho hesitated. He had realized at that moment that he was about to make a mistake that he had made once or twice before. He was about to attack the opponent with a face-down card, most likely a Trap.

Then it hit him: he had help! "Ah! At this point, I'm going to use my Patroid's effect! It makes you flip up your face down card and show it to me!"

"Yes," cheered Judai softly with a gripped fist. "He's finally learned that old trick."

The toony squad car's sirens went off to signal the effect being activated, and it revealed a Trap card. But, there was a serious problem… Sho could not see it with his blurred vision.

As he struggled with squinted eyes, he pondered, "…What? …What is it?"

He would get no help from the audience either, for they too had never seen that Trap card before. All they could see was an image of Cyber End Dragon on it.

"Uh, Kaiser! Little help here!?" Judai demanded.

Kaiser replied with a smirk. "Heh. Sorry, but you're not getting any help from me, you fools."

.

Asuka gasped, "What!? That's cheating!"

"I told you," said Kenzan, "he's playing by his own rules."

"That's not fair!" exclaimed Manjyome. His hands balled into furious fists.

.

Sho just gritted his teeth, and let the Trap card fall back face down. "I guess… I have to end my-"

"No! Don't quit, Sho!" shouted a familiar voice. Sho turned around, and was surprised to recognize that voice as Manjyome's. "Kaiser wants you to quit; don't let him get to you!"

"He's right, Sho!" nodded Judai. "This could be your chance to finally get through to him. Don't let him scare you!"

"…You're right. …Thank you, all of you," said Sho softly. Then his more aggressive voice kicked in; "Attack, my Submarineroids!"

Perhaps it was out of luck on Sho's part, or out of unexplained kindness on the Kaiser's part- whichever it was, both attacks went through.

**Kaiser: 3900 – 2300 LP**

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm switching my 'roids to Defense mode now."

**Submarineroids: 1800 DEF**

"And I end my turn."

"Draw," said Kaiser in a much less aggressive voice. "Hmm… I am very surprised that you've lasted this long, little brother. Perhaps you have grown up at last."

"Onii-san," gasped Sho; for once, it sounded like his true brother speaking again!

.

Once again, Kaiser had fallen into a trance.

"_If I attack, he'll probably chain your Life Force card, but even that won't save him. He only has 150 Life Points left…"_

"_The weak do not deserve to live."_

"_But… he's my brother…"_

"_He is your adversary. He has chosen to fight you. He wants to die."_

"…_That can't be."_

"_Yes, it is. Look at him, Kaiser. He has chosen his friends over you. He is fighting for someone he calls 'Aniki.' …He has forgotten all about you."_

"_No. That's not true!"_

"_You know it is."_

.

"NO!" shouted Ryo abruptly. He clutched onto his head, as if a sudden pain had surged through it. But within moments, he snapped out of it, and realized that everyone was staring at him with stunned faces.

"Ugh," he cringed. "…What are you all looking at!? …Ergh… I skip this turn."

Everyone gasped.

"You… what?" blinked Sho.

"You heard me!" growled the Kaiser. "If you really are as strong as you think you are, then you'll survive this next turn. Come on then, Sho! Prove to me that you are worthy!"

Those words shook Sho's heart, but after a moment of shock, he gave his older brother a nod. He then struggled to get back on his feet, almost falling for an instant, but got up with success.

"My turn. Draw."

Again, Sho struggled with his blurred vision, but he could clearly see that his new card was a Spell. …A very familiar looking spell.

"This is… It's…"

Power Bond.

"I… I can do this… I know I can…"

Next to Power Bond: two Cycroid cards.

Sho started to tremble; he knew what he had to do, and the thought of it was a little too much to bear. "…I can do it… I'm worthy… I am worthy!"

.

Sho's tone of voice made Judai realize, "…This is it! …He's gonna do it!"

"Huh?" murmured Manjyome curiously.

"Go on, Sho! Do it! Play the card, play it!" cheered Judai enthusiastically.

.

"Yes," nodded Sho, with a newfound fire in his eyes. "I summon Cycriod in Attack mode."

**Cycroid: 800 ATK**

"Then, I play _Power Bond_, which lets me fuse the Cycroid in my hand with the one on the field!"

"What!?" Kaiser gasped in shock.

"And with that, I create Pair Cycroid!" shouted Sho in triumph. And with that, two innocent-looking bicycles became one.

**Pair Cycroid: 1600 – 3200 ATK**

.

"_He did it,"_ thought Ryo to himself. _"He finally did it…" _He almost looked proud.

_._

"There's more," announced Sho. "By reducing my Pair Cycroid's Attack points by 500, he's allowed to attack you directly. So, Onii-san, I'm going to do just that!"

**Pair Cycroid: 3200 – 2700 ATK**

."This is it!" cheered Judai. "If this attack goes through, then Sho wins!" Asuka clasped her hands together in prayer, while the whole audience took a deep breath.

.

Sho took a moment to once again wipe blood sweating down on his face. "…Onii-san. I do hope I've made you proud at this moment. Whether you win, or my attack goes through… All I hope is that I've made you proud."

"Yes… Yes, Sho. I am very proud…" Ryo's eyes glistened with both surprise and delight. It seemed as though he was his old self again… if only for a moment.

"Pair Cycroid…"

"_Chain the Trap."_

"Attack his Life Points directly!"

"_Do it, Kaiser! Chain the Trap card!"_

"I can't."

"_Yes, you can!"_

"No! I can't!"

"_Do it…"_

The red double-seated bicycle was headed his way.

"_If you have any pride at all, you'll chain that Trap!"_

"If I do, he'll lose."

"_If you don't,_ you'll _lose! You don't want to lose!"_

It pedaled closer and closer.

"He's my brother. My one and only brother!"

"_He is not worthy of you. No one is."_

"Don't make me…" Ryo's right hand trembled as it forcibly moved closer to the button which would trigger the Trap.

The red bicycle had then passed by Cyber End Dragon, which looked on worriedly.

"_You leave me no choice,"_ said the feminine voice in Ryo's head, and with that his right hand moved against his will, pushing the button.

"NO!" hollered Ryo. But it was too late.

_WHOOSH!_

Pair Cycroid was flown right back to Sho's side of the field by a wave of wind and light, and even knocked Sho back on his rear again.

"…What is that!?" gasped Sho as the wind whipped his hair back.

"This," replied the Kaiser with a very unpleasant voice, "is my Trap card: _Conquest of Cyber Dragon!_" The unfamiliar Trap card once revealed before by Patroid then flipped face up. The dark Kaiser explained, "This Trap is triggered during the Battle Phase, whenever I have one of the following monsters on my field: Cyber Dragon, Cyber Twin Dragon, or Cyber End Dragon. Now, at this moment, ALL of your monsters have no choice, but to attack my monster!"

Sho wanted to shout something, anything, but no words could come out.

"All of his monsters?" gulped Judai.

And then it happened; the Submarineroids, the Patroid, and the Pair Cycroid all flew into Attack position. And all of them unwillingly stared up at the drooling Cyber End Dragon.

"Attack!" roared the dark Kaiser, with a certain glare of darkness in his eyes.

As if magnetized, the poor little Vehicroids were flung by an invisible force at the three-headed Cydra, and Sho could only watch as all of them fell into its jaws. The sheer force of the destruction was enough to blow Sho's glasses clear off his face, as he howled in pain.

**Sho: 150 – 0 LP**

.

Then a flash of light blinded the audience members temporarily. When it cleared and they rubbed their eyes, they could clearly see that the duel was not yet over! Judai gasped in horror, as he saw the Kaiser's Cyber End Dragon holding onto Sho's head with its middle head's jaws.

"SHO!" he cried out.

Sho, meanwhile, looked comatose.

Beneath the Cyber End Dragon stood a much darker looking Kaiser; his eyes were now a navy blue tone, and a black aura surrounded him, just as it was now surrounding his mechanical pet.

"Kaiser! Put him down!" growled Judai furiously. But the Kaiser did not answer.

"…Ryo, please! Stop this!" Asuka cried out. "…Ryo!"

Then he spoke, with an almost unrecognizable voice: "My name… is Hell Kaiser." He then looked up at the small teenager dangling in his Cydra's jaws. "And_this_ is what becomes of those who challenge my power."

Cyber End Dragon then raised up its spiky tail, aiming it at Sho's spine. Judai froze in terror, and was forced to watch the metallic tail rush right through his dear friend's torso, spilling blood. For a moment, Sho's eyes shot open in shock of the pain, but then glazed lifelessly.

..

"SHO!" Judai screamed as he woke up in a cold sweat, panting as he awoke from a terrible dream.

For a moment, the brunette had forgotten where he was; his eyes glanced in all directions and saw only white walls. Then, he remembered… he was in the local hospital, along with his parents and friends.

What happened to Sho actually took place a few hours before; it was now nightfall, and already his dear friend had been rushed into the surgical unit. He remembered now; his father called the emergency line just after the last attack of the duel.

And Sho was not dead… At least, Judai hoped he wasn't.

As he, Asuka, Manjyome, Misawa, and his parents sat in the waiting hall, Judai was at last greeted by a nurse. She told them, "Your friend's suffered fractions to his hip and legs, but the prognosis looks good despite all that."

"He's going to recover?" asked Mr. Yuki softly.

"Yes," the nurse nodded positively. "It may take him a while, but he should recover… How did you say he got hurt?"

"He…" muttered Judai. He was about to spill out the whole truth, about Kaiser and the realistic dueling. "He… was hit by a car." Judai looked around, and could see in the faces of his friends that they all agreed to go with that story. After all, no one would believe that Sho's injuries would come from a game of Duel Monsters. And so, Judai gave a small nod.

As the nurse walked away, Mr. and Mrs. Yuki turned to their son. "Are you alright?" murmured his mother. "You blacked out for a second there, Judai. You must have been in shock," said his father.

Judai was quiet at first; his tired eyes stared at the white floor. Then he whispered, "…Where is Kaiser?"

"We don't know," replied Asuka; "he disappeared right after the duel."

"You mean he ran off?"

"No… I mean he disappeared. Into thin air."

Judai hummed, and felt an unpleasant pain in his stomach. All of his instincts were giving off warning signs that something absolutely terrible was happening.

"Aw son, you look terrible. Let's get you home," suggested his mother.

"No," whispered Judai weakly. "I want to stay here… for Sho."

"We can't stay," said his father sadly. "But we can visit him tomorrow, if he's awake."

Judai would have responded, but then his attention turned to the charging footsteps of two people. He could tell from the corner of his eye that it was Sho's parents, who had just gotten word that their younger son was in the hospital. Sho's mother was hysterical with tears in her eyes, so Mr. and Mrs. Yuki took it upon themselves to comfort her.

This gave Judai's friends a moment to move in closer to him, to see if there was any way they could comfort him. But they were all silent, and noticeably worried. The sad truth was, there was nothing anyone could do, except wait.

And wait, they did…

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter: Soul Mates**

Featured Duel(s): **Manjyome Jun vs. ?**

.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

"Conquest of Cyber Dragons" is a fan-made card, by me Snodin


	9. Soul Mates

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Nine: "Soul Mates"**

I

Exactly one month had passed since the terrible fate of Duel Island. Memorials were held all over the world, but it was Japan's candles that seemed to light the brightest.

Some literally lit candles in their homes- kindly folks like Anzu Mazaki, who moved from Japan to America a few years earlier to pursue her dreams of being a professional dancer. Her mood all that day was glum; normally she would reminisce about happier times in her old country… not a sad time like this.

.

Some like Honda Hiroto and Ryo Bakura, who would usually only attend masses when it was the weekend or a special holiday, decided to say prayers in respect for the deceased in their local places of worship.

.

That late afternoon, even folks who had places to go- people like Jounochi Katsuya, and Kujaku Mai- would stop in the middle of their brisk walk down the street to catch a glimpse of televisions in store windows, which broadcasted updates on the island survivors.

.

Even those like Insector Haga and Dinosaur Ryuzaki, who peacefully played cards in a local tavern where life was slowed down to a crawl, managed to break character and listen to stories of the peril from those who told their tales on the news.

..

However, there were those who couldn't let the past interfere with their present. They included Judai Yuki and his closest friends, who all decided to give their friend Sho a visit in the hospital. It had been four days since he had been hospitalized thanks to his brother Ryo, and despite the royal beating he took that day, all he had to show for it now was a bandage wrapped around his forehead and a cast on his right wrist.

"Honestly you guys, I'm fine! I'm gonna get out of here tomorrow," smiled the bespectacled blunette at them while sitting up in his white bed.

"That's what you said yesterday, Sho." Judai smiled back; with him were Asuka, Misawa, Fubuki and Rei on this day, and they giggled in response.

Then Sho felt compelled to ask, "Has anybody heard from Ryo-niisan yet? …I'm really worried about him."

There was a moment of silence as everyone's smiles quickly left the room. Misawa then shook his head, "No, Sho. Nobody's seen or heard from Ryo since that day he… well, he and you dueled."

Sho could only sigh then.

"Why should you even worry about him?" Rei was compelled to ask. "He's the one that put you in this hospital, Sho!"

"Rei," Asuka tried to plea.

But Rei ignored her. "This is all his fault! And what's worse is that he doesn't even seem to care."

"It's not his fault," Sho spoke up in a slightly louder tone, as he wiggled in his bed. "That wasn't my nii-san. …It wasn't him!"

"Okay, Sho. Okay… Just calm down," pleaded Misawa.

"It wasn't him…" Sho's eyes quivered in horror, as he couldn't help but think back to that moment when he saw the blankness in his big brother's eyes, right before he deliberately attacked him with his Cyber monsters. "My brother would never do that to somebody… Especially not me."

"Brother or not, he's gonna pay," said Rei with a clenched fist.

"Oh, and what are _you_ gonna do about it, shortstop?" Fubuki asked her abruptly.

"We are gonna find Kaiser," Judai said with an assuring voice. "…I'm just not sure what to do when we find him."

Sho looked over to his "Big Bro" worriedly; "Whatever you do, Aniki… don't duel him. You have no idea what it feels like…"

As much as Judai wanted to respect his best friend's wishes, all he could do was stay silent. He knew deep down, that running from a challenge by Hell Kaiser would not and could not be the answer.

..

Meanwhile, in a completely different hospital on this same gloomy day, someone else was seeing a loved one whose health was fading fast. There was a long pause of peace and quiet before a nurse peeked in through the doorway; "Excuse me sir, but visiting hours are almost up."

Yugi had heard the nurse's voice as he was starting to doze off; but now he realized that it was nearing sunset already. And his grandfather, whose bed he had been sitting patiently next to, had still not awoken from his sleep.

Yugi rubbed his eyes after just coming out of his own little nap. "…Is it six o'clock already?"

"Yes. I'm sorry, sir."

"…I didn't even get to say-"

"Mmm?…. Y-Yugi?"

"Grampa!" cheered Yugi, seeing as how his bedridden grandfather's eyes finally cracked open.

"Hey there," smiled the old man. "Is it time for breakfast yet?"

"Grampa, it's evening. You've been asleep all day."

"Oh… Well, how was your day then?"

"It was fine," nodded Yugi. "I got a call from Anzu. She sends you her best."

"Is she still in New York?"

"Yes, Grampa."

"Tell her to come back soon. I've read up on all the crimes over there. It's horri-" The old man was then stopped by a coughing fit, which his grandson was obliged to help with by gently patting his back.

The young man then turned to the supervising nurse. "I'll be just a minute longer; I need to tell him something."

"Okay," nodded the nurse, and left the two of them alone.

Once Grampa Motou got his breath back, he sat up in his bed. "So… Tell me, what have you been up to lately besides helping an old man breathe?"

"Grampa…" What Yugi was about to say he feared wouldn't be easy to swallow. After all, the subject of Duel Monsters was important to both generations. But he had to say what he was about to say:

"I've been doing a lot of thinking about… being Game King. It's been fun and all, and it's certainly paid off for the family. You know that, right?"

"Mm-hmm."

"But… lately, it's just been different. I guess it's 'cause you're not there to cheer me on like you used to. And…"

"Yugi, listen to me." The old man struggled to place his left hand- which was attached to a tube- onto his grandson's hands. "I won't want you to worry about me anymore. I know my time here is numbered, and I'm willing to accept that."

"Grampa please, _please_ don't talk like that."

"I just don't want you to quit something you were born to do just because I'm laid up. You still got your mother, after all. And your friends, right?"

"But you were the one that introduced me to Duel Monsters. It was your deck that I started with, remember? I wouldn't even be King of Games if it weren't for you."

"Yugi, we all have our own destinies, and yours is obviously linked to that game. You would have found it sooner or later… You are thinking about quitting, aren't you?"

"Not quitting… retiring. I've decided to retire my crown. I want to spend more time with you and mom, as much time as I can. Besides, there's a lot more pressure to this title than it may seem. There's press conferences, conventions, challenges left and right. And just a few weeks ago, I went up against this kid Ryo… He came really close to beating me. And you wanna know something, Grampa? I actually _hoped_ he would."

"So… you've decided to leave the Pro League," nodded the old man.

"I know I'm still in my prime, I know what this means… But I just can't shake off this… this… I dunno, insecurity I guess is the word."

"No Yugi, you stopped being insecure years ago. But I think I understand what you're trying to say. My boy, if stepping down as Game King is really what you want, then it's alright with me. My only concern is that you'll be happy."

"And you are my only concern," muttered the young man.

_.._

"If anybody can duel Hell Kaiser, Yugi Motou can." Such was Judai's answer after a few minutes of silence. "He's the only one that's beaten him."

"What about Edo Phoenix?" suggested Asuka. "We're closer with him more than Yugi, and he's a pro too."

"I don't think we should talk about dueling right now," answered Misawa. "There'll be plenty of time for that. In the meantime, we should just worry about Sho."

"…And Manjyome," added Judai, grabbing everyone's attention. "He's still planning on going to Duel Island, 'cause he knows his brothers are up to something there."

"But there's nothing we can do about it, Judai," said Asuka with a frown. His silence then puzzled her. "…Or is there?"

"Well," answered the brunette, "I've been thinking…"

"Thinking is too dangerous for you Judai," came Manjyome's voice out of nowhere. Sho and his visitors turned to the teen dressed in black standing by the door. His coal-black eyes stared right into Judai's. "I know what you're thinking, and I'm telling you not to do it. I have to face my brothers on my own. Can't you understand that?"

Judai narrowed his eyes at him. "You may think you're the only one that belongs on that island, but a piece of me was left behind there. Can't _you_ understand _that_?"

Manjyome just turned around, getting ready to leave. "I've spoken my peace; if dying on that island is what you want, then that's your affair… I hope you get better soon, Sho." He then left without saying another word.

"Maybe Manjyome's right, Judai. Maybe going back there is too dangerous," warned Asuka.

"Yeah," nodded Misawa, "we've all gotta learn to move on…"

But Judai just couldn't move on. When he said a piece of him was left behind on that island, he meant it. His mind was already made up…

..

That night, Judai stayed wide awake in his room, staring at his blank ceiling. While his three look-alike brothers snored the night away, Judai's mind was stuck in the past, back when he fought with all his strength to recover all of his cards that were scattered on the beach, just before a fissure took his Winged Kuriboh away. He kept asking himself if he could have done something different, if given the chance to go back in time.

He then turned his head over to the wall by his doorway, where a big poster with Yugi Motou signed with his autograph was mounted like a shrine. He stared at his idols piercing violet eyes.

"…What would you do, Yugi-san?"

In his mind, Yugi gave Judai the answer.

..

II

Two days later, one of the Manjyome group's fleet ships docked onto the main shore of Duel Island. This was the last known ship to carry hired hands in the family's quest to clean up the disaster sites. The first to leave the ship on the runway were the construction workers, followed by a motley gang of thugs and duelists hired to act as guardsmen.

Among them, marching confidently onto the shore, was a man with tight army boots, thick clothing that matched an old-fashioned hunter's and a formidable build, complete with a shabby dark beard. He carried with him a pack over his shoulder.

Passing by him was a smaller man; "Beautiful day for an adventure, eh Caleb?" he asked.

The bigger man laughed, "Ha! You can keep your adventures for yourself, mate. I'm here lookin' for treasure!" With that, the big man marched off.

A much more unnoticeable figure stepped down the walkway. He was no bigger than a child- in fact, compared to these older men, he was a child. It was Manjyome Jun; apparently the money he raised during his stay at the Yuki house was enough to buy off a spot on the ship. Though he would be easily recognized by those hired by his family, he kept his identity a secret by wearing a black hat and a pair of sunglasses. And since the rest of his attire was jet-black, more specifically his trench coat, then the disguised suited him well. He skulked off in secret before anyone took notice of him, even though he paid to get on that ship as honestly as any adult.

But the ship would have itself a stowaway.

Nobody noticed it, but one of the luggage bags onboard the ship- this particular one the size of a young human- was actually alive. It bounced past the ship's crew and tripped and tumbled all the way down the runway, until it landed with a loud **"Kerplunk!"** And out from its long zipper popped Judai. He was wearing the same red shirt under a dark grey jacket that he wore on the day he entered the school's entry duels.

Upon popping his head out of the bag, he took in the world's biggest breath of air. "…Worst. Idea. Ever," he moaned.

At this point, Manjyome had already left the shore, and so he left Judai alone to figure out for himself where the boy in black went. But at first, Judai didn't seem to concern himself with that. The first place he ventured to was the very spot where he lost his beloved Winged Kuriboh. He hovered over the cracked pit in the earth with a heavy heart, briefly taking himself back to that night… But then he forced himself to move on.

..

What used to be an emerald green forest was now a barren wasteland. Where lush green trees and soft earth once stood was now covered in a blanket of decayed magma. It wasn't the most pleasant of sceneries, and Jun would have to tread through at least one more mile of it before getting anywhere near the ruins of Duel Academy. Still, he had no choice.

Manjyome, now without his hat and shades, kept his eyes to the ground; already he was getting tired of walking, even though he knew the path by heart. Had he kept his guard up, however, he might have foreseen an ambush coming.

Soon enough, the teen realized that he was not alone here; three men, all twice his size and nearly tripled in his weight, jumped out from their hiding places and blocked the young man's path.

Jun was startled, but only for a moment. He paused to observe these three who have gone out of their way just to spook him.

The biggest and fiercest-looking of these unknown hooligans wore a navy blue undershirt, which exposed his muscular tattoo-covered arms. The rest of his outfit was just as scrappy; a pair of tan pants that looked like they should have belonged to an army General, and wrapped atop his bald head was a red and white-striped bandana.

The most noticeable article of clothing, however, was the duel disk on the older man's left arm.

"Lookie here boys," said the gang leader to his smaller lackeys. "Looks like we're not the only ones here after all."

Manjyome stood his ground emotionlessly. He was expecting to run into trouble sooner or later, but not this kind of trouble.

"Yo, kid," boasted the chubbier of two lackeys, as he cracked his knuckles. "Where d'ya think you're going, the zoo?"

Snickered the thinner lackey, "This place ain't for grade-schoolers no more, Junior. Beat it!"

Then their muscle-ripped leader glared down at the teen's left arm, noticing his duel disk. "I dunno boys," he said. "I think this kid wants to pick a fight. Maybe we should beat him… in a duel."

Manjyome was less than thrilled, and even lesser afraid. "…You've got to be kidding me," he said with tired eyes.

"No, I'm very serious," responded the tough guy, trying to look intimidating by crossing his ripped arms. "Rumor is, kid, somebody 'round here's hiring folks that can dig up some powerful Duel Monster cards, and whoever gets 'em will be rewarded mounds o' money. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

The teen did not respond.

"Aw, I'll bet he did boss!" grumbled the chubby lackey. "Let's send this kid packin'."

"I got a better idea," grinned the leader. "Let's see just how tough this kid is. I challenge you, kid, to a duel. If you win, you get to go on your way. And if you lose, your ass is gonna be on the first boat off this island!"

"I really don't have time for this," softly moaned the teen, as he reached for one of four decks attached to his belt buckle. "Then again, I never back down from a challenge either." He then presented one of four decks to his opponent.

"Alright," smiled his opponent. "I can tell this little pup's got some bite, boys. Let's just see how he fares against the master."

_Master. Pfft._ Jun rolled his eyes; he could spot a rookie when he saw one, no matter how big he was.

"Let's just get this over with," said Jun softly, as his duel disk activated.

**DUEL!**

**Duelist: 8000 LP**

**Manjyome: 8000 LP**

Said the taller, muscular man, "My turn, draw! …I set one Trap face down, and then summon Cybernetic Cyclops in Attack Mode."

Jun sighed to himself; already his opponent made the mistake of announcing that he had a Trap. Nevertheless, he was greeted by a green-fleshed cyborg with a single yellow eye.

**Cybernetic Cyclops: 1400 ATK**

"That ends my turn," grinned the tattoo-armed duelist.

"'Bout time," snorted Jun. "Draw!" Jun took his time to observe his cards. "First thing's first. I set this card face down…"

A holographic card was laid face down in Manjyome's Spell/Trap Zone.

"Then, I play a Spell card. Activate, _Card Destruction_! This card makes both players send every card in their hand to the Graveyard, and then we draw the same number of cards from our decks."

So it was done; the Duelist discarded and drew four cards, Jun the same.

"Next," Jun said, "I activate the Spell card, _Soul Release_. This lets me remove up to five cards in either player's Graveyard from the game. I'll start by removing four from my grave…"

His opponent could see that Jun removed four Monsters from his card grave. This puzzled the big bruiser.

"And for good measure," said Jun, "I'll take out one of your cards."

Jun's opponent silently agreed to remove the first card from his graveyard, but was still confused over the matter.

"Finally," announced Jun, "I'll summon X-Head Cannon in Attack mode."

**X-Head Cannon: 1800 ATK**

"X-Head Cannon," said Jun in a bored tone, "attack his lame monster."

The metallic-plated Cyclops, though clearly an effect monster, was no match for the strangely built machine, which plowed it into the ground.

**Duelist: 7600 LP**

"I activate my face-down card, _Rope of Life_! Now by discarding my entire hand, I can bring back Cybernetic Cyclops from my Graveyard and increase its Attack Points by 800!"

**Cybernetic Cyclops: 1400 – 2200 – 3200 ATK**

The opponent gloated, "And, because I have no cards in my hand, my Cyclops gains 1000 Attack Points as well as eight hundred more!"

"Oh, I'm so scared. I think I'll end my turn now and leave myself wide open..." He was obviously being cynical, but the older man ignored him.

"Draw…"

**Cybernetic Cyclops: 2200 ATK**

"Cyclops, attack!" The duelists powered-up Beast-Warrior all too eagerly launched a vengeful charge on the young teen's machine.

Manjyome shook his head. "_Tsk._ See, now I'm gonna have to punish you, for being STUPID!"

One of his face down cards, at that moment, jumped up and revealed itself.

"Activate Trap card: _Ring of Destruction_! Now I get to choose one monster on the field and automatically destroy it; plus, once it's destroyed, both players take burn damage according to the destroyed monster's Attack Points. And guess who I'm choosing: Your Cyclopsl!"

And with that, a huge metal ring, jeweled with bombs, shot out of Manjyome's trap card and flung itself onto the muscular beast's neck, stopping it dead in its tracks.

Then, **"KABOOM!"** It was blown off the face of the earth.

The opponent hissed in frustration, "So now we both lose 2200 Life Points?"

Manjyome grinned, for once. "Actually, now that you mention it, I like keeping a high score. That's why I'm activating another face-down card. Go, _Ring of Defense_!"

When the second card was flipped up, this one being a Spell type, it unleashed a ring very similar to that of Ring of Destruction. The only difference was, instead of being jeweled with bombs it was jeweled with triangular shields.

Jun explained, "Whenever I'm about to take burn damage from a Trap card, I can activate this Quick-Play Spell. Now my Life Points will be saved; your, however… aren't so lucky."

**Duelist: 3400 LP**

**Manjyome: 8000 LP**

"Tsk... I... end my turn," groaned the bruiser.

"Draw!" Jun now held one card in his hand. One would be enough.

"Now, I activate my third face-down card: _Return From The Different Dimension_! Now, by paying half my Life Points…"

**Manjyome: 8000 - 4000 LP**

"I can now Special Summon every Monster I removed from play earlier in the game. So let's welcome them back, shall we?"

**V- Tiger Jet: 1600 ATK**

**W- Wing Catapult: 1300 ATK**

**Y-Dragon Head: 1500 ATK**

**Z-Metal Tank: 1500 ATK**

"Now listen closely, because a lot of stuff's about to happen," warned Manjyome. "First, I'll remove my X, Y and Z monsters so that they can create the awesome XYZ- Dragon Cannon."

**XYZ-Dragon Cannon: 2800 ATK**

"Big deal," hissed Jun's oversized opponent. "Even if that is a pretty big monster, it's still not enough to-"

Jun stopped him by extending his index finger in the same way as a scolding parent. "If you could just keep your mouth shut for two more seconds, you'll see that I'm not done." Now he was looking pissed.

"Now, I'll use the same Fusion requirements on my V and W monsters, so that I can summon VW- Tiger Catapult."

**VW- Tiger Catapult: 2000 ATK**

The muscular bruiser, who only moments ago looked more than formidable, now broke out into a sweat. He was now faced with not one, but two giant robots fused with parts of former mechanical whatever-they-were.

"Okay, one last time. Here we go," blinked Manjyome. "XYZ Dragon Cannon and VW Tiger Catapult will now leave the game, so that I can summon a Fusion of both of them. Meet VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon!"

**VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon: 3000 ATK**

The bruiser nearly fainted at the sight of the metallic, humanoid giant, but quickly regained his composure. "You just sacrificed two awesome monsters for this!? I hate to break it to ya, kid, but all that talking's not gonna beat me now."

"You really like to hear yourself talk, don't you?" raised Mannyome's eyebrow. "Well in any event, I still have one card left to play. And trust me, you're not gonna like it."

With that, Jun revealed to his opponent the final card: "Activate Spell card, _Limiter Removal_. This card doubles the Attack Points of all my face-up Machine-type monsters. I doubt you could do the math yourself, so let me just do it for you: Game Over!"

**VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon: 6000 ATK**

"Now Dragon Catapult Cannon, attack for game!"

The giant robot aimed its shoulder lasers at the stunned opponent, and fired. **"FOOM!"**

The impact of the Dragon Catapult Cannon's triple laser beams was enough to knock not only his opponent to the ground, but also the opponent's scruffy lackeys.

A fierce cloud of dust covered the area for only a few minutes, but the nameless duelist wasn't quite out of harm's way yet. As soon as he started to recover himself by sitting upward, he was suddenly met with Jun's fist in his face.

**POW!**

In one quick punch, the seemingly stronger man fell to the floor, unconscious.

Like a vulture to a corpse, Jun stood over his defeated opponent. _"That,"_ he hissed, "was for wasting my time."

His black coat whipped like a cape in the wind as he turned around to resume his journey, leaving the stunned bruiser and his two dumbfounded cronies in the dust.

"_There's no way my brothers would hire such punks like that. There's gotta be more going on here than it looks…"_

That's when Manjyome stopped in his tracks; he had spotted a figure making its way into the forest. He looked at the figure more carefully, and was shocked to realize who it was.

"Judai! …What the hell is _he_ doing here?"

_.._

Judai had his own reasons for being there; for one, he was trying to aid Manjyome without Manjyome's consent, and for another he had some unfinished business with the island itself. As he walked aimlessly through the forest, he was hoping to be reacquainted with the sights he loved so much, he just had to see again and properly say goodbye to.

His first stop was the old well, where his misadventure a month earlier had began. There was a time when small Duel Spirits would conjure here, many discarded and abandoned by students who couldn't understand their full potential. But now there was nothing here, except open earth and ash.

Then Judai moved on, into the woods where life seemed to be untouched by lava. There, the trees were still green and lush, and the earth was soft. He could still smell smoke rising from the volcano, but for a moment, life felt tranquil. And so Judai stood still and let his nerves unwind. In that moment, foe the first time in a week, he felt at peace.

…And then, he heard it: _"Moke?"_

"Huh?" Judai jerkes his head back and forth, swearing to himself that he heard a child's voice. But there didn't seem to be anything there. The truth was, there _was_ something there, and it was floating just beyond his sight. Thinking that he was hearing things, Judai walked on.

"…_Moke!"_

"Yah!" jumped the boy in fright. He turned around and made an aggressive stance. "Alright, who is that!? This isn't funny anymore!"

Nobody was seen, or heard. He started to shake with fear that something inhuman was following him. …How right he was.

But as soon as he went back onto his trail, Judai finally realized that he was lost. He couldn't see any construction sites or fallen old buildings; all he could see now were the plants that surrounded him. But though he was nervous, he trekked on believing that somebody would find him, or that he would f-

"_Moo-o-oke?"_

The voice caused him to jump around. His distraction caused him to falter and trip onto a tree root, and he fell hard onto his back. While in this state of uncertainty and vulnerability, the creature at last floated down so that he could see it. It appeared to be a transparent spirit, shaped like a pale blue cube with a tiny face, small angel wings and a pink halo shaped like a question mark.

"_Moke Moke!"_

"YAAAAAAAHHH!"

Seeing a ghost for the first time in what felt like forever was quite the shock. Judai let out a scream and pushed himself backward- he was literally crawling on his back, away from the sprite, until he was stopped by a large puddle caused by last month's quake. The water hit him hard and suddenly, but it seemed to have also calmed him to a stop.

Panting and shaken, Judai let the floating spirit fly up to him until it was in his face. It cooed again, _"Mo-ke?"_

He gulped, "…You're… You're a Duel spirit! …You're a Moke Moke!"

"_Moke Moke!"_ nodded the Angel.

"I don't believe it," muttered the teen as he struggled to sit up. "…I haven't seen one of you since… Wait. …What are you doing here all alone? Don't you have a partner?"

"_Moke Moke!"_ it answered, and started to float away in the opposite direction.

"Wait! Stop!" called out Judai as he clambered onto his muddy feet. "…Take me with you!"

"_Mo-keeeee!"_ squealed the sprite, and it started to lead Judai away. The teen, drawn to it, followed.

Bound to the Duel Spirit's wishes, Judai followed it through the forest, which began to change from a lush green to a depressing brown, and then dead black. Obviously, he was being led down the path which merged with the volcano's path of destruction. He no longer needed to push through weeds and branches anymore, and as he stepped, he began to crunch charred leaves.

But Judai also noticed that the path itself was changing; it was no longer a natural dirt bank, but a true road paved in the tracks of construction machines. In the distance, he could hear those machines pushing, digging, and leveling. And then at last, the Moke Moke led him into a clearing of what was once a lake and now a ditch, and standing not so proudly behind it was what was left of the Obelisk Blue dorm. Once a shining castle, it was now grayed and broken.

Judai was not expecting there to be any life in the fallen building, but the Moke Moke spirit urged him on with its coos. Carefully the boy in red edged his way past the abyss which left the lake in ruins, and stopped at the front doorway of the shattered dorm.

He knocked on the door twice, very nervously, but the only response he was given was the front door's collapse. He jumped backwards, but the door fell in the opposite direction, straight into the dorm's main hall. Judai's heart sank, seeing how badly beaten this once great hall was.

He looked to the Moke Moke and frowned, "I don't think anybody's home."

But the persistent little Moke Moke just cooed, _"Moke!"_ and floated onward, urging Judai to follow it. He sighed and moved on.

The teen was surprised to see that not the whole dorm had collapsed; its backside, though tattered was still almost completely in tact. It was where the dining hall and cafeteria once stood, but now it was just well enough for a band of welcomed adults to rest from their daily construction work. Judai stood hesitantly as he watched these brawny adults eat their fill at the table.

"…Um, excuse me?" he peeped.

The room then fell silent, as all eyes fell on this teenager. "Uh, I'm looking for a friend of mine. Have you seen him? He's about my age…"

One bearded man with sunglasses sitting with his feet up at the table looked the boy up and down and said, "Oh. You must be that blue kid's friend. He's in the back."

Unsure of what the man meant, Judai quietly followed his lead and slipped past the dining hall and eventually took the back door.

Judai wasn't sure of what he would find in the back of the Obelisk dorm, but he certainly wasn't expecting to find a small hut. The Moke Moke flew straight toward it, cooing excitedly. Judai took a deep breath and followed.

The hut's tent-like entrance was peeled away by Judai, who looked inside curiously. There, sleeping peacefully on a cot with his back to the wall, was a small boy dressed in blue rags. It was a very distinct shade of blue- Obelisk blue. His hair was short cut but gray and matted. He was as thin as a pole.

Judai had not seen this boy often, but he knew instantly who he was: "…Motegi?"

Motegi Mokeo hummed as he forced himself awake, and turned over to look at the visitor with sleepy gray eyes. "….Judai-kun? …I'm dreaming again, aren't I?"

..

III

That evening, the two former Duel Academy students settled down by a campfire and feasted on snacks which Judai cleverly brought with him in his backpack. This time, they were accompanied by not one, but three Moke Mokes, each one charged with looking after the sleepy-eyed Obelisk boy.

Though Judai was usually very gluttonous himself, he watched as Motegi ate more chocolate and candy treats than himself. He even giggled at the sight of it before beginning a very serious talk.

"How did you survive all this time, Motegi?" asked the brunette.

"Well," replied the smaller boy, "you know how I always stood out with my ability to see Duel Spirits? Well, Kaiba-san's staff separated me from the other kids to monitor me n' my Moke Mokes."

"Uh-huh?" nodded Judai.

"Well, when the earthquake hit, my underground sanctuary opened right up. That let me wander around the island where some of the native fruit still grew. I was mostly guided by my Angel friends, up until the ships started coming back."

"Wait, wait, wait. All this time you were here? Why didn't your family come looking for you?"

"I dunno. I guess they thought I was dead…"

"…But you're not!"

"I know! …Well anyway, those nice Manjyome guys found me a few days ago and let me stay in a hut near their camp. They gave me some food, but that's nothing compared to these awesome snacks!"

"So you've seen the Manjyome group."

"Uh-huh."

"What're they like?"

Motegi practically swallowed a candy bar whole before he answered, "…They seem nice to me, but they're always busy digging up holes near the school. I dunno, but it seems to me like they're looking for something…. You gonna eat that rice ball?"

Judai's rice ball was hanging just outside of his mouth, but he smiled, "Nah, you can have it."

"Thanks!" cheered Motegi, and scooped it right up from Judai's hands. "…So what brings you all the way out here, Judai-kun?"

"I came to help a friend…"

"Oh. …Still got that Hane Kuriboh?"

"No… I lost it."

Motegi was so stunned to hear this that he nearly choked on a barely-chewed rice ball. Luckily his Moke Mokes were there to pat his back. "…You lost it!? How? When?"

"As I was escaping the island that night…" Judai bowed his head in sorrow.

"Awww," frowned the former Obelisk student. "…Wait a second." Motegi then jumped to his feet in excitement. "You stay here. I'll be right back!" He then took off in a mad dash, leaving Judai alone with the transparent Angels.

Motegi was not gone for long; he came running back a few minutes later, this time carrying with him a small silver box. He then took his former spot opposite Judai by the fire, sitting with his legs crossed.

"What's that?" blinked Judai curiously.

Motegi wasted no time in opening the box and shuffling what appeared to be cards inside it. "I'm an avid Angel duelist, you know that. So I've been collecting as many Angels as I could. And I'm pretty sure… Ah! Here it is!"

Judai was not about to expect which duel Monster card Motegi was about to show him, but sure enough, there it was: a Winged Kuriboh, as bright and new as the one which Yugi Motou gave to him just three years earlier.

"…Hane Kuriboh…" he whispered in shock.

"Yeah," nodded the sleepy-eyed Motegi with a smile. "…Go on, take it. It's yours now."

"What!?" gasped Judai, leaning back. "…I can't take your card!"

"It's not my card anymore; I'm giving it to you! Go on, Judai-kun."

"…I… I can't."

"Look, we both know that he's your soul mate, not mine."

"No, it's not that Motegi…"

"Then what is it?"

"It's…" Judau gulped. "…It's not the same card. It's not _my_ Hane Kuriboh."

Motegi paused, but then smiled peacefully. "Judai-kun, Duel Monsters are spirits. They can never really die, they just move on. I know you can bring him back, if you just believe hard enough."

Judai was still a little hesitant, but seeing the faith in Motegi's sleepy eyes made him realize something… that maybe he was right. Maybe it didn't really make a difference whose card it is, as long as it's the same Monster.

So, very bravely, he closed his eyes and slowly reached out to it, until his fingers touched its edges.

"…_Kuri?"_

His hazel eyes opened. "…Hane Kuriboh? …Is that you?"

"_Kuri! Kuri-i-i!"_

Judai took a deep breath; there it was, the transparent form of his beloved furry friend with tiny angel wings! It really _was_ the spirit of Winged Kuriboh, reborn again by his own faith.

"Aw!" Judai's eyes lit up with joy. "Winged Kuriboh! It IS you!" He attempted to tackle and hug the spirit, forgetting that it was transparent, and found himself lying face down in the dirt. Thought slightly pained, he couldn't help but break into a fit of laughter, his followed by Motegi and the Angels.

Judai was then compelled to get back up and wrap Motegi up in his arms. Teary-eyed, he said, "Thank you… Thank you so much, Motegi-kun."

Motegi made a big blushed smile; "Aww… It was nothing."

There moment was shattered by yhe sounds of motoring trucks that rolled like thunder in the distance.

Motegi stood right up, and despite the dark sky, he could see what was going on. "The bulldozers," he muttered.

Judai was next to investigate; "What're they doing?"

"They're headed straight for the school… I think they're finally gonna tear it down."

"…Manjyome might be there!" exclaimed Judai in worry, and without a moment too soon he took off in the school's direction.

"…Wait for me!" shouted Motegi, as he and his Angel friends followed close behind.

..

"Back up, back up! BACK UP!"

Such was the frantic command of the man in charge as his fellow workers scrambled in every direction while the rooftop of the main school building was beginning to crumble.

Then, with the force of an avalanche, down it went. **FOOM!**

This caused a small quake that knocked just about everyone off their balance, including the two boys running toward what was left of the school. Judai and Motegi skidded to a halt when they saw that the colorful rooftops of their school had crumbled to pieces.

Judai then looked around, gazing intently at the bulldozers in the area. He ran to them, screaming, "…Hey! …Stop!"

The construction leader, a tall burly man, stopped the boy in red. "What's this?" he gasped. "How did you get here, kid!? This place is too dangerous!"

"Please," begged Judai, "I'm looking for a friend. His name's Manjyome Jun! Is he here?"

"Manjyome?" gasped the team leader, before breaking into laughter. "Ha-hahaha! Those Manjyome's would be crazy to stick around here! Their camp is miles away. Now leave, boy."

"But…" It was no use; Judai was pushed aside before the man continued to shout out commands to his fellow workers.

Motegi crept behind Judai and frowned, "It's no use, Judai-kun. We should probably leave."

"I'm just not sure…" said Judai softly to himself, before charging toward the collapsing building.

"Judai!" called out Motegi, who followed fearfully.

Judai was no fool; he knew Manjyome would be close by. He began to think that if Manjyome was not here, then perhaps he would be near the Osiris Red dorm. He headed straight into that direction.

The quakes of the collapsing school building continued as the boys raced toward the fallen red dorm. When they got there, they saw that it had almost completely sunk into the earth thanks to a gigantic fissure.

"My God," muttered a horrified Judai as he stopped in front of the pits; "…I was just here… This was my home."

Motegi and the Angels followed in suit. The smaller, sleepy-eyed boy panted, "…Well… I don't think Manjyome's here. Maybe we should head back to Obelisk Blue."

"_Moke, Moke,"_ chirped the trio of Moke Moke spirits. _"Kuri,"_ echoed Winged Kuriboh.

"…So it's true," hissed the deep voice of a grown man right behind them.

The teens' eyes bulged in surprise; someone else was present! They turned around, seeing a tall stranger with a duel disk attached to his left arm nearby.

He, a dark-toned forty-something with a broad beard and long black hair, seemed to be an adventurer of sorts judging by his attire. His dark eyes glazed at the sight of the small fuzzy Duel Spirits.

"This island_is_ blessed with real Duel Monsters," he grinned. "I've been looking all over this place for them. Just imagine how much people will pay to see them… You boys there! Hand over your monsters and no one gets hurt."

Judai quickly jumped in front of Winged Kuriboh, shielding him. "Hey, big guy! Why don'tcha pick on somebody your own size!?"

"These spirits aren't for sale," added an equally protective Motegi.

"I wasn't asking for a price, sokas." With that, the man dealt a card from his deck. "If this island is as magical as it seems, then I can take everyone's monsters by force! Behold, Genetic Werewolf!"

**Genetic Werewolf: 2000 ATK**

For a monster with no effect to have such high attack points, the white-furred multi-armed wolf-man was quite a rare card in its own right. And just as Caleb had predicted, its mane blew in the wind, giving off its realism. It was no hologram; it was flesh and blood. It snarled at the small boys.

"Yes, my beast!" cheered Caleb triumphantly. "Attack! Bring me those Angels!"

As a dog would obey its master, Genetic Werewolf was all but too obligated to lunge at poor, helpless Judai and Motegi.

But then, in a quick flash, something jumped in front of them, and before they even knew what it was, it exploded into dust.

"Gah!" gasped Judai as he covered his eyes in surprise. "What was that!?"

"_That_," came a familiar voice nearby, "was my Hell Soldier. And you're welcome, by the way."

Atop a slope made from the fissure and stepping into sight was a familiar figure dressed in black, with his duel disk unsheathed and lit up for battle.

"Manjyome-kun!" cried out Judai in surprise and joy at the same time.

"San-da," muttered the boy in black in reply.

"What is this," hissed the only adult present; "some kind of young boys club get-together!?"

"This is _our_ turf, slime ball," Manjyome hissed back at Caleb; "and if you wanna get anywhere near my friends, you'll have to get through me first."

Judai took a moment to let out a small gulp; he never thought he'd see the day when he heard his old embittered rival talk like that about him.

"Oh yeah?" sneered Caleb at the boy in black. "You and what army, boy?"

"I got a better question for you: is your turn over?"

Motegi turned away from the bickering duelists and looked to Judai for answers. "Did we just walk right into a duel?" he whispered.

"Let's get outta here now, and ask questions later," whispered Judai. That was his cue for the two of them to back off into a safer spot, under Manjyome's supervision.

"Are you sure you want to fight me, boy?" growled Caleb to Manjyome. "This isn't just some game anymore, and I ain't gonna go easy on ya."

"Don't talk to me like I'm not aware of this island's magic," narrowed Manjyome's coal-black eyes. "I'll ask again, is your turn over?"

"Yes."

"Finally." Manjyome drew a new card, making it six cards in his hand. For starters, I'll play the Spell card called _Dual Summon_. This will let me Normal summon twice this turn. …For my next move, I'll summon not one, but two Hell Dragons to the field."

**Hell Dragon(s): 2000 ATK**

Manjyome then held up his fourth card to play. "Next, I play the Spell card _Premature Burial_, to revive my Hell Soldier."

**Manjyome: 6400 LP**

**Hell Soldier: 1200 ATK**

"What a pointless move," scoffed the older man. "I killed it before, and I'll-"

"And when you _did_ kill it before," barked the teen, "let me remind you that its effect made you take Battle Damage as well."

**Caleb: 7200 LP**

Realizing his error in judgment, Caleb made a face.

But Manjyome's turn was nowhere near over, as he held out his fifth card to play: "That's not all. Since I've just special summoned my Hell Soldier, I can activate my Quick-Play Spell card,_Raging Summoning of Hell_! When a monster with less than 1600 Attack Points is summoned from my Grave, then I get to summon all three copies of that monster to my field. The only downside: you get all three copies of a monster on your field as well."

So in flashes of light appeared two more hellish Demons armed to the teeth like barbarians, while two more white werewolves appeared opposite each other on the field.

"Why!?" twitched Caleb's eyes in shock. "Why give me all of my monsters, you stupid boy!? Even with two Hell Dragons, you're still no match for my werewolves!"

"Why!? You ask me _why_ I gave you those monsters? …So I can KILL THEM ALL!" With his eyes now beaming with excitement, Manjyome whipped out his sixth and final card. "I play the Spell card, _Raigeki_! I'm going to go out on a limb here, and guess that you know what it does…!"

Straight from the holographic Spell card shot a devastating bolt of lightning, which incinerated all three Genetic Werewolves. Caleb stood in utter shock as he was now wide open for a direct attack.

"With no monsters left to defend you, and only 7200 Life Points left, you're not going to last one minute longer. It's over!"

"No! …No, wait! Y- you can't!"

"I can, and I will. Maybe next time you'll think twice about picking on 'poor little kids.' Hell monsters, attack for game!"

**Caleb: 7200 – 0 LP**

Caleb's field exploded in a fiery blaze, thanks to three blue-shaded fireballs from demonic swords, and two violet-red dragon breaths. But that didn't seem to be the end of Caleb's torment, as the ground started to give way again.

_**Rumble, rumble rumble…!**_

"Oh no… What is this!?" gasped Judai as he struggled to keep his balance. "Another earthquake!?"

"It can't be!" exclaimed a startled Motegi.

But it was! All around them, the earth was giving way, just as it had a month ago. Only this time, there was no volcanic magma; it seemed that the earthquake was coming from unknown origins.

Both Manjyome and Caleb fell to their knees, while Judai and Motegi wriggled their arms and shifted their weights frantically.

"JUDAI! GET OUT OF HERE!" screamed Manjyome.

Just then a huge chunk of earth rose from underneath Motegi's feet. Judai grabbed his arm just in time before his friend was pummeled by the uprooting. Quickly they jumped across the cracks that split open beneath their feet, all the while they seemed to forget that there was one other soul to save.

Judai turned around just as he and Motegi found a safe spot; "…Manjyome!" he screamed.

For Manjyome and Caleb, it was already too late. With one final push, the earth spewed up hot, almost volcanic gas through the fissures. This caused the unsteady ground between the duelists to tumble. Before the boys even knew it, both Manjyome and Caleb were gone.

Judai crawled to the edge of the pits, screaming. "Manjyome! …Manjyome!" But his screams were in vain.

Manjyome, frozen with terror, found himself freefalling straight into an abyss. He felt as if he would fall forever… into nothingness.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter: Dragged Down to the Grave**

Featured Duel(s): **Manjyome Jun vs. Dark Ruler Hades**

.

CHARACTER NAMES (Japanese to English):

**Anzu Mazaki** – Tea Gardner

**Honda Hiroto** – Tristan Taylor

**Jounochi Katsuya** – Joey Wheeler

**Kujaku Mai** – Mai Valentine

**Insector Haga** – Weevil Underwood

**Dinosaur Ryuzaki** – Rex Raptor

**Motegi Mokeo** – Belowski

.

CARD TRANSLATIONS:

Duel 1:

All names are roughly the same, just different wording; for example, **Cybernetic Cyclops** is **Cybernetic Cyclopean** in English

Duel 2:

**Genetic Werewolf** – Gene-Spliced Warwolf

**Hell Soldier** – Chithonian Soldier

**Dual Summon** – English Name not known; it will be released in the set "Tactical Evolutions" later this summer

**Hell Dragon** – Infernal Dragon

**Premature Burial** is **Magic Burial** in Japanese, but I felt there was no need for reediting it.

**Raging Summoning of Hell** – Infernal Reckless Summon

**Raigeki's** name translates to "Thunderbolt"


	10. Dragged Down to the Grave

"**Yu-Gi-Oh/ Yu-Gi-Oh: GX"**

"**Tournament of Kings"**

**Ten: "Dragged Down to the Grave"**

I

_Flashback: Three years earlier…_

Jun could remember the first time he ever saw an angel.

It was during his first year in Duel Academy, back when he was wearing the regal Obelisk blue coat instead of his now-signature black one. That was the time before he threw himself out of school, back when he had nothing and no one to fear. …That's when he met Judai Yuki in a duel.

Their first real duel took place in front of everyone; it was a duel that would decide whether Judai was fit to stay there and move up in the ranks, or be thrown out due to insubordination. It was Jun's big chance to finally prove himself to everyone, especially his family.

Being in the top-ranked dorm, Jun was the favorite to win. But everyone underestimated Judai, and the new cards he was given prior to this event. By the time the stage was set- with Judai only having Winged Kuriboh in Defense mode and a face-down Spell/Trap card, Jun was dominating the field with his overpowering VWXYZ Dragon Catapult Cannon.

He could have easily used his monster's card-removal effect to wipe out Judai's last chance for a comeback, but no. Jun was too cocky; he decided to just switch Winged Kuriboh into Attack mode instead, to ensure the pain that would have been inflicted on his opponent. Then, he attacked. …It was the biggest mistake of his life.

"Spell card, open: _Transcendent Wings_!"

The machine's attack triggered Judai's face-down card, which could only be activated if Winged Kuriboh was attacked. This allowed Judai to switch his small, weak monster with a new one- a bigger one: Winged Kuriboh Level 10. Not only was Jun's monster's attack nullified, it practically backfired. The larger Winged Kuriboh, latched onto a dragonic angel, forced the 3000-Attaack Point machine to explode, and it dealt as much Life Point damage to its master, knocking him down to a humble 1000 Life Points. After that, it was all over for Jun.

The audience, mostly Obelisk students, fell silent as the low-ranked student stood victorious, and their fellow dorm mate fell to his knees in defeat. They were all crushed, humiliated… and in their own dueling arena.

But Jun knew then and there that Judai had a very special bond with the angelic Winged Kuriboh. He might not have understood it, but he felt it. He saw it. And though he would not want to admit it at the time, he knew that he was in the presence of a true angel.

..

_Present Night._

Jun's eyes fluttered open, and the first thing he could feel was dust all over his face. He coughed as he righted himself from lying on his back. As he dusted his clothes and hair vigorously, he was beginning to remember where he was.

He, and an older man that he was dueling, fell down a pit just a few feet away from the old Osiris Red dorm, on Duel Island. It was the middle of the night, which made his surroundings pitch black. He was hurting too; his landing was nowhere near a soft one.

He paused to breathe and gain composure while curiously eying what looked like an ancient cavern. The truth was, he was surrounded by soft dirt, and though some light beamed down from the surface world, he had no idea just how far down this pit was.

_.._

Judai and Motegi had witnessed their friend's fall, and were panic-stricken. They both carefully peered down into the pit, yelling out Manjyome's name, but Jun wouldn't be able to hear them.

"Come on," muttered Judai, as he desperately started to get his footing on the cliff.

"What?" gasped Motegi. "Are you going down there!? That's crazy, Judai, you're gonna get yourself killed."

Judai glared back at him. "Manjyome-kun risked his own life to save us; the least we could do is return the favor!"

"But…" muttered Motegi in despair, "…he could already be… you know…"

"Fine. Don't follow me." Judai resumed his descent into the abyss.

"Wait! …Judai! …Alright, alright! I'm coming!" Motegi gathered up his courage, as did his Duel Spirit companions, and together they followed the boy in red, very slowly and cautiously.

_.._

As Jun gazed up at an opening of the cavern with a heavy heart, knowing how far an upward climb he would have to take, another voice started coughing nearby. It was Caleb, the rogue duelist that threatened to steal Judai and Motegi's cards. He too was riddled with dust and debris as he slowly came into consciousness.

"Aaauugh…" he winced in pain. "….What the hell just happened?"

"We're in a pit," replied the nearby teen in a soft voice. "We fell down here after a small earthquake."

"You!" pointed Caleb at him. "You're that little punk…"

"Yes. And you're the jerk that tried to kill us all." Jun then gathered up his legs. "…I think we're gonna be here for a while; it's gonna take us all night to climb out of this dump."

"It's so damn hot down here," Caleb complained as he wiped sweat from his dirty brow.

Jun's eyes narrowed, showing his irritation. "In case you didn't know, we're on an island with an active volcano that just recently exploded. I'm pretty sure the quakes and the extreme heat may have something to do with that."

"Oh! Well, look who's the freakin' genius all of a sudden! You graduated with top honors, didn't ya?"

"Look pal, I'm not all too crazy about you either, but we-"

_**Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble…**_

The two characters stopped their argument for a moment to let another small quake pass through them; their legs alone kept them from making another hard fall.

"…That was… unexpected," whispered Jun; his instincts at that moment sent a cold seat and a chill down his spine."

"_Manjyome-kun,"_ whispered the frightened voice of Ojama Yellow. _"I feel it. I feel a dark presence here."_

Jun's eyes glazed. "…I feel it too…"

"…Hello? Weird kid!?" shouted Caleb nearby. "Are you gonna stare at the wall all night!?"

"Shuddup!" the teen snapped back. "There's something very wrong here."

"Well, duh! We're in a pit! Everything's wrong with this place."

"That's not what I meant; I feel something! …Don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

"…The cold…" Jun's voice dropped as his ears picked up a faint hissing sound, almost like that of a geyser about to blow.

**"**_**Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch'intrate**_**."**

"…Huh? What?" the teen muttered weakly.

"**Abandon all hope, ye who enter here..."**

At that moment, Jun was about to meet a demon. …A true one.

A deeply dark shadow appeared suddenly on a wall, but it was coming from one untouched by Jun's and Caleb's. The shadow's size towered over theirs. Then, a creature started to faze through the wall, fitting the shadow on it.

"…For thou art within the gates of Hell, and I- Hades- am its Dark Lord!"

Caleb and Manjyome froze in terror, as a green-skinned demon dressed in vibrant garments walked right through the wall and stared them down. He had a pair of devilish horns that seemed too big for his head to balance, and his yellow eyes bore no irises. His mouth was completely fanged, his hangs clawed. That all seemed typical for a demon, but this was obviously no ordinary one. In fact, the teen in black recognized the garbed creature almost automatically.

"It's you… It really is you! Dark Ruler Hades!"

The Duel Monster nodded with his shark-like grin. "'Tis, indeed."

"What!?" shouted the older man in disbelief. "A Duel Monster? In the flesh!? Come ON! I had fun up there with the Werewolves, but this is ridiculous!"

"T'would be wise of thee to hold thy tongue, thou foolish prey of mine." With that, the demon stretched his long green claw at Caleb, and it seemed to be just enough- topped off with a fierce stare- to send the fear-stricken man down onto his knees.

Jun watched, also in disbelief at what he was witnessing. And he too was beginning to tremble.

"Caleb Hunter. For years, ye have sought out the grandest of earth's prizes. Thou hath stolen, cheated and lied for thine desires… A life doused in greed is a life wasted… and all wasted souls… are **mine**."

Manjyome, still immobilized by fear, looked on as dozens of long bony hands and arms stretched out from the ground, just beneath Caleb. The man could only scream as the skeletons of men and woman long past dead seized him and dragged him into the soft earth, until there was nothing left. And Hades looked on, smiling.

"Huh…" Jun finally took a breath, but his tremors were still with him.

Then the green-skinned devil cocked his bull-horned head intently at the small mortal nearby. "Ah! …Ho there, Manjyome Jun."

The teen gulped. "You… know me?"

Hades turned himself around to formally speak with the boy. "We all know _ye_, dear boy. Thou hast been granted a powerful gift… Ye knoweth that of which I speak, yes?"

_"…What'd he say?"_ chirped the spirit of Ojama Yellow as he suddenly materialized in midair beside Manjyome.

Manjyome muttered in reply, "He means you guys."

Hades heard him, and began to cackle out loud. "HA! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! …No, no, no! I speaketh of the spirit that lurks in thy heart- the one who hath chosen thou, Manjyome Jun."

"…I don't understand. What are you talking about?"

"Oh, but ye doth. I can feel it all around thee, and I know'st thou can feel it too. It is, perhaps, worthy of mine army. Yes…"

"A-army? …You want me to fight you?"

"No, dear boy. …I want thee to_join_ me. Yes! Join me, and together we shall restoreth the Kingdom of Hell! Ha-ha! HA-hahahahahaha!"

_"…Manjyome-kun!"_ cried out Ojama Yellow. _"Are you going to Hell!?"_

"Of course I'm not!" growled Manjyome, before turning his attention back to the eight-foot-tall demon. "Listen! I dunno what your game is here, but I'm NOT gonna be hitting the dirt anytime soon! You got that!?"

"Heh-heh-heh… Thine bravery is admirable. But mine _game_, ye know it very well… It is the game of Duel Monsters." With that, Hades extended his left arm, and by magic a dark pointy duel disk materialized onto it.

"…You want to duel me? Are you serious?" gasped Manjyome.

"Thou wisheth to return to the land of the living, yes?"

"Y-yes!"

"Then duel me, and prove thyself. Should ye win, I shall set thee free."

"And if I lose?"

"Then ye will have no choice but to do mine bidding. For an eternity. Heh-heh-heh-heh-heh."

The floating Ojama Yellow spirit grabbed onto its bottom jaw and started to sweat like crazy. _"Don't do it, Aniki! He's not gonna let you win!"_

"…What choice do I have, Yellow?"

"The choice is simple: thy life, or thy soul!"

"…Well… can't argue with that." Jun unsheathed his duel disk.

**DUEL!**

..

II

Judai and Motegi had slid as far as thirteen feet downward into the abyss in which Manjyome fell, only to find themselves at a dead end. The hole, it would seem, caved in halfway.

"Oh great," moaned Judai as he rested his hands on the dirt wall. "Looks like we're gonna have to dig."

The two teens then had no choice but to get their hands dirty as they shoveled away at the soil. Luckily for them, the soil was fairly soft.

"You think he may still be alive down there?" questioned Motegi.

"We can only hope," panted Judai in reply.

_.._

Manjyome stood bravely before the former lord of the underworld, and by now he thought he had seen it all. But his opponent knew something he didn't.

"Harken to me, thou young spirit-keeper!" grinned the green demon. "This duel shalt not be one played like that of mortal men. Since ye are dueling for thy soul, then we should raiseth the stakes… Behold!"

As Hades stretched out his clawed hand, the earth behind Manjyome trembled. The teen balanced himself quickly, but then suddenly, a gigantic rock formation punched its way out of the earth, right behind him. Puzzled, Manjyome turned around to see just what it was. The rock, as it turned out, was chiseled into the shape of a large tombstone, complete with a crucifix on top and a plaque in the middle that read:

**MANJYOME JUN**

**1991 – 20?**

"…What!? What is this?" he gasped with eyes bulging.

"'Tis thy gravestone," replied the Dark Ruler. "Thine body shall be encased here, should ye lose this duel."

Jun gulped when he heard this, but he knew it was too late to turn back. "…Alright, fine. Play your mind games all you want, but I'm still winning this."

.

**Manjyome: 8000**

**Hades: 8000**

.

.

"Draw!" started Manjyome. I'll set a card on the Spell and Trap Zone, and summon Don Zaloog to the field."

**Don Zaloog: 1400 ATK**

"Turn over."

"Draw," smiled the optimistic Hades. "I doth summon Wight to the field. Come forth, mine loyal servant!"

**Wight: 200 DEF**

"Next, I shall play the Spell Card called Dual Summon, which giveth me a second Normal Summoning. Henceforth, another Wight may now come to the field in mine defense!"

**Wight: 200 DEF**

"Mine turn doth endeth."

Manjyome eyeballed the skeletal Wights, otherwise known as Skull Servants. _"That's strange,"_ he thought to himself. _"He talks a big game, but why would he summon such weak monsters?"_

It was time then to make his move. "Draw! …I summon Surprising Matasa to the field."

**Surprising Matasa: 1300 ATK**

"My new warrior comes with an effect," said Manjyome. "He can't be controlled by an opponent, but he can attack twice in the Battle Phase. So I'll start the battle with him slicing through those two skeletons."

The ninja, otherwise known as Mazata the Zapper, flung his sword at the knee-bent skeletons in purple robes, turning both of them into ashes.

"Now, Don Zaloog, attack his Life Points directly!"

The one-eyed armed robber monster pointed his pistols at Hades and opened fire. The demon king barely even flinched in reaction.

**Hades: 6600 LP**

"There's more," said Manjyome with a balled fist. "Whenever Don Zaloog inflicts battle damage, I can either send the top two cards in your deck to the Graveyard, or I can pick a card in your hand and send that one to the Graveyard. I'm going to go ahead and take out the one that's in your hand."

"So be it," smiled Hades. "I remove my third Wight, and allow him to join his brothers in the grave." With that, the demon king discarded his middle card, leaving him with nothing left in his hand.

"Turn over," said Manjyome.

"Draw!" grinned Hades overconfidently. He now had only three cards in hand, but before he played any of them, he first began to gloat.

"Ho there, Manjyome Jun! Doth thou remember the day ye fought against he named Misawa Daichi?"

"Huh?" blinked Manjyome curiously.

"Ye will remember well," said Hades with his twisted smile, "on that day ye were challenged to a duel in hopes to remain in the prestigious Obelisk Blue dorm, after thy humiliating defeat against Yuki Judai!"

"How do you know about that!?"

"I see all, young spirit-keeper. I know ye all too well! I recall just how desperate ye were of winning, that ye hath stolen your opponent's deck the night before, hoping he would be forced to forfeit the duel to thee!"

.

Jun's mind went blank, as he was forced to look back at his duel against Misawa three years earlier. He could see himself staring down Misawa's Water Dragon, which easily wiped out Manjyome's Hell monsters. Then, the ugly truth came out… Misawa knew that his deck was stolen, and tossed into the sea! Jun had no choice then but to confess; at that moment, he not only lost the duel, he lost his pride.

.

"…Uh… I… But…" Manjyome's eyes glazed; the shame was written all over his face as he tried to justify his actions, to no avail.

"Heh," Hades gloated. "Thou art not so different than mine own kind, Manjyome Jun. Thou art of noble blood, and art ambitious. Thou art willing even to risk thine own sense of honor to please thine brethren."

"Oh, for God's sakes, SPEAK ENGLISH!" shouted the boy in frustration.

"Thine fury is like mine as well… Hee-hee… It remindeth me of the day I was robbed of mine throne. T'was not long ago; the earth itself trembled as mine own kind revolted against me. How often I dream of that glorious morn, when I shall return a champion to mine rightful place in the underworld. All I need is a strong enough army; it grows by the day, but it is not yet ready to take on He."

"He…?"

At last, Hades' grin dropped. "He… who hath stolen mine crown, my rightful nobilities! …I only hope that thee, Manjyome Jun, and the dragon that coils within thee, will make mine victory come that much sooner."

"Okay, okay, wait a minute… Let's see if I got this all straight. You're pissed 'caused somebody booted you off your throne in Hell, and now you want it back, and you want me to help you. Is that all right?"

"Yes, 'tis correct," the demon smiled with a nod.

"…What does all that have to do with me stealing Misawa's cards!?"

"Aah, dear boy, ye cannot yet see! The dragon_feeds_ on thine own feelings. With every strip of hate, of jealousy, of anger that looms within thee, the dragon grows stronger. Even now, I can feel it scratching to the surface. …Can ye not feel its claws, ripping at your insides, so desperate to get out?"

Jun worriedly felt his chest to see if the demon king was telling the truth, but he felt nothing.

"Let us continue the duel, shall we?"

"Yes, please! I'm getting tired of all this self-pity nonsense!" Jun blurted out.

"Very well then, I doth summon my newest servant: the great Wight King!"

**Wight King? ATK**

The teen's eyes blinked. "…That looks just like all the other skeletons you've played."

"Ah, but there is one difference. See here, the Wight King gains one thousand attack points for every Wight in mine graveyard, and since there are three there- two that hath been destroyed, and one I hath discarded- then mine Wight King is thrice as strong!"

**Wight King: 3000 ATK**

"A king after mine own heart," smiled Hades. "Now. Wight King, avenge your brethren and destroy Surprising Matasa!"

Despite its lack of flesh, the Wight King was able to trounce Manjyome's weaker Warrior without effort.

**Manjyome: 6300 LP**

"Ugh!" winced Manjyome as he took the damage. "…Touché."

"Hold," said Hades with his hand stretched out; "there is more! A penalty is to be taken for each Life Point thou loses."

Manjyome took a breath, ready to expect some kind of penalty or something, but nothing could prepare him for what was about to happen! The earth beneath his feet cracked open and became soft enough to be liquid. Then suddenly, three sets of skeletal arms popped out from the earth and seized his legs!

He screamed, but he was helpless as he began to be dragged down into the earth itself, until the arms suddenly stopped pulling him when the earth came down to his knees. The arms then sunk back into the earth, and there the teen stood, knee-deep in soft earth.

Jun whimpered, a total loss for words; the Ojama spirits were a bit more vocal: _"Manjyome no Aniki!"_

Hades pointed at the helpless teen with a laugh. "Hahahahahaha! I told ye there'd be a catch to this duel, did I not? As thy Life Points drift away, so shall thy body be dragged down to its final resting place!"

"Yeh… You're sick!" yelped Manjyome.

"I am done my turn," Hades replied.

Manjyome was still in shock; his arms were so badly shaking that it seemed as though he couldn't function them. Then all of a sudden he heard Ojama Yellow's voice: _"Draw your card, Manjyome-kun!"_

_"Yeah!"_ cheered the Ojama Green's spirit. _"It's not over 'till it's over! You can still win!"_

Still shaking, Manjyome listened to them. "Ugh… I… draw." He paused to overlook his hand, then he made his move. "I sacrifice my Don Zaloog for Thunder Emperor- Zaborg."

**Thunder Emperor- Zaborg: 2400**

"Once he's tribute summoned, I can destroy a monster on your field, and guess who I'm targeting: Your Wight King!"

The dazzling thunder god thrust his arms at the skeleton king, and summoned a bolt of lightning that zapped it out of existence.

"Now, Zaborg, attack him directly!"

Zaborg then threw an electrical punch at Hades, who only winced slightly.

**Hades: 4200 LP**

"Hahahahaha! Impressive!" laughed the demon king.

Manjyome was starting to get annoyed at how his opponent remained happy. "Turn over."

.

"Draw," said Hades, giving himself three cards in hand. "I shall begin this turn with the Spell card called _Dark World Dealings_. This allows us two to draw a new card, and then discard one card to the graveyard. With this effect, I shall surrender mine Despair From the Dark monster."

After drawing his next card, Manjyome stated, "And as for me… I discard my Spell card _Ojamagic_! And once it's gone to the grave, I can automatically take one of each Ojama monster from my deck to my hand!"

The Ojama spirits cheered jubilantly as they were swallowed into their individual cards as their "aniki" brought them out from the deck.

"Those beats do not frighten me," hissed Hades, as he grabbed hold of one of his two remaining cards. "I now play the Spell called _Book of Life_, which allows me to bring an Undead monster back from mine grave. And since I had previously discarded him, I shall bring back Despair from the Dark. Arise, foul beast!"

**Despair From The Dark: 2800 ATK**

"Ye must now remove one of thy monsters in the grave from play," said Hades to Manjyome.

"Fine," huffed Jun; "I'll take out Matasa." So he did.

"And now, Despair, bring down his accursed thunder god!" commanded the demon lord.

The shadowy ghost was too much for Zaborg, as it swallowed him into darkness.

**Manjyome: 5900 LP**

.

Once again, the ground beneath him began to crumble. Manjyome whimpered as four sets of skeletal arms grabbed hold of his jeans and pulled him slightly further down into the ground. They stopped at his waist before reentering the earth.

"Ye are now halfway dead," snickered Hades. "And with that said, I doth end mine turn."

.

_"Don't give up, Aniki!"_ chirped Ojama Yellow from within his card; he could sense the doubt in Manjyome's mind.

.

"I won't… Draw!" gulped Jun. With now seven cards in hand, his hope of winning began to come back. "Okay… I play the Spell card _Ojama Get Ride_! This makes me send my three Ojamas to the graveyard, but in return I get three Machine monsters."

_"Aww, no fair!"_ whined the Ojama Black card.

"Sorry guys," frowned Manjyome, as he sent them on their way to the bottom slot of his duel disk. "…Now here come X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank!"

**X-Head Cannon: 1800 ATK**

**Y-Dragon Head: 1500 ATK**

**Z-Metal Tank: 1500 ATK**

Hades remained pleasant as Manjyome continued his move: "I'll now remove these three from the game so I can special summon their fused form: XYZ Dragon Cannon!"

**XYZ Dragon Cannon: 2800 ATK**

"Ah, so the forces of Light hath finally matched mine of Darkness," mused Hades.

"I'm not finished!" shouted Manjyome. "XYZ Dragon Cannon's effect lets me discard something from my hand so I can destroy one on your cards! I discard my Hell Dragon, so you kiss your Despair from the Dark goodbye!"

For only a second time since they've met, Hades dropped his grin as he watched his beloved servant disintegrate at the hands of the Fusion machine.

Manjyome then threw out his arm, "Dragon Cannon, attack Hades directly!"

The machine then launched missiles from top to bottom at the demon lord, and made a dust-cloud of explosions.

**Hades: 1400 LP**

For the first time since the duel began, Manjyome cracked a smile. "Turn over."

.

But then, to his astonishment, he heard the familiar laughter of his opponent. "Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee! Heh-heh-heh-hahaha! AAH-hahahahaha!" As the dust cleared, Hades emerged from the smoke in glory. "Ah, yes! How could I have forgotten?" he laughed. "Ye, Manjyome Jun, hath not always been shrouded in darkness. No… ye hath proven once before that Light is just as wicked!"

"What are you talking about now?" narrowed the teen's dark eyes.

"It maketh sense to me now, for I remember well the time ye hath sold thy soul to the Society of Light- the evil cult that hath once threatened to take over the world! Remember?"

"Oh no," moaned Jun; "You're not gonna pin _that_ on me, are you? …I was tricked into that cult! It wasn't entirely my fault!"

"But ye were not so sure of thyself, methinks. Thou hath been picked first by the evil Light because thine spirit was so weak! Even now, I can still feel its weakness."

"Stop it!" screamed Jun as he covered his ears frantically. "Stop screwing with my head! I didn't do all that stuff on purpose; I was lied to! I was brainwashed! I didn't mean to be-"

"Thou hath not meant to be'th so cruel?" Hades asked with a squinted eye. "Ye would know better than anyone, that thou hast a weak mind and a drive to be stronger. Thine thirst for strength hast brought you down here, Manjyome Jun! It was thee who hath challenged Caleb, who now burns in Hell! And soon ye shall join him! Hahahahahahaha!"

"NO-o-o-o!" howled Manjyome, still trying desperately to drown out the demon king's words.

..

III

Meanwhile, not too far away, two teenagers were still shoveling through piles of dirt and rubble with their bare hands.

It hadn't taken long for Motegi's strength to falter, as he plopped to the ground. "Oh, let's stop for a minute. We've been at this for almost a half hour now," he moaned tiredly.

"We can't just give up!" replied Judai, whose scratches in the earth were now wearing the wall down. "Manjyome could be in danger; he could suffocate down there!"

"…Judai," frowned Motegi, "I hate to be the bearer of bad news… but… If Manjyome's been down there for this long, without any air, then… Well, maybe… I mean… Maybe he's-"

"Don't say it," snapped Judai, finally stopping his movement. "Don't you dare say it!"

"Can't we just call for help? I mean, we can't really do this on our own."

"We don't have much time. Manjyome-kun doesn't have much time!"

"Is he really that important to you? Is he, like, your best friend or something?"

"…No… Not really. …But you need to understand something: He saved my life."

Motegi was at a loss for words at that moment, but then he got back on his feet. "Well… in that case…" And with that, he cracked his knuckles and resumed digging through the wall alongside Judai.

_.._

Manjyome was waist-deep in earth as his opponent, Dark Ruler Hades, stood tall and confidently with an evil laugh.

"Hahahahaha! It will not be long now. Soon I will awaken thine true form, and ye shall be among the worthiest of mine servants. Even the great usurper will cower in fear at thine very presence! Hahahaha! …Soon, I shall reclaim mine former glory. And I will have thee to thank for-"

[Begin song "Through the Fire and the Flames" by Dragonforce]

"ENOUGH!" Manjyome's outburst caused him to throw his fist into the ground. "I'm nobody's servant. And I'm _not_ the card-stealing, soul-selling, spoiled rotten brat I used to be. I've changed! I'm a different person now- a better person! You can't tell me otherwise!"

"Heh… If thou art so pure of heart, then why do I feel such guilt in thine heart? Hmm?"

Manjyome couldn't think of an answer.

"Hee-hee-hee. Thou hast never truly forgiven thyself for thine past deeds. Therefore, thou hath never truly been forgiven them! Ye are shrouded in thine own self-doubt."

"…No. …Stop it."

"Thou knowst I speak the truth…"

"…Alright… Alright, I'll admit it. I am really sorry about how I've treated people before. I'm sorry I was so mean, that I tried to cheat just to win- I'm sorry I stole Misawa's cards. I'm sorry for having such a weak mind that I let it get brainwashed! I'm sorry about ALL of that!... But I can't… I can't… forgive myself…" Jun, feeling vulnerable, felt his eyes begin to welt in tears.

His face faltered with pity, Hades shook his head. "_Tsk, tsk, tsk_… A shame the truth hath been poured out like this. …But time is short, young one, and 'tis my move now."

He drew his next card. "I doth play the Spell card _Angel's Gift_. 'Tis ironic, I know, but it shall be worth it. I doth draw three cards, and send two to mine grave…" With two cards remaining in his hand, Hades went on to say, "I now playeth the Spell card _Monster Reborn_! This shall bring back the monster I hath just discarded. Now, Manjyome, feast thy eyes on mine greatest and most loyal of all servants: Ultimate Obedient Fiend!"

**Ultimate Obedient Fiend: 3500 ATK**

Manjyome stared in awe at the enormous creature that stood towering over his XYZ Dragon Cannon.

"He is powerful, yet he cannot attack while I have cards in mine hand," explained Hades. "Therefore, I shall play my last remaining card, and lo, 'tis a second Wight King!"

**Wight King: 4000 ATK**

"This- my ever faithful zombie- even grows stronger when other Wight Kings are in mine grave, as well as the weaker Wights! Ha-ha! That maketh him even stronger than mine demon servant! But now the time hath come; Wight King, obliterate his machine monster!"

With his face-down card unable to stop it, Manjyome couldn't hold back the skeletal monster's attack; with his Fusion monster went a huge chunk of his Life Points.

"And now, mine Ultimate Obedient Fiend, relinquish the boy of his Life Points! Mwa-hahahahaha!"

Manjyome braced himself as the demon came for him…

**WHOOSH!**

_.._

From where they were, Judai and Motegi could faintly hear the sound of something crashing.

"Listen!" exclaimed Judai as he put an ear to the wall of soil. "…Did you hear that?"

"What was it?" asked Motegi.

"…It sounds like a duel!"

"No, it couldn't be!"

"…It is!" Judai's senses were right on the money; he began to scratch much faster at the pile of dirt that separated him from where Manjyome was dueling. "Come on, Motegi, double-time it! We're almost there!"

_.._

Even after the huge demon literally swiped at Manjyome, he was still in the game… barely.

**Manjyome: 1200 LP**

Once again, multiple sets of zombie arms popped out from the ground, grabbed hold of Manjyome's arms and shoulders, and pulled him downward until he was up to his shoulder line in earth.

"If ye be so bold to draw again, thy time is now!" said Hades as he ended his turn.

At this point, the only things Manjyome were able to move were his neck and arms, and that would be enough. As he touched his deck, he started to pray softly. "Please… I need a miracle right now. Please deck, give me something good… Please… Please…!" He drew.

He now had only three cards in his hand; the two he already had were no good together, but the third seemed perfect. So perfect, in fact, that for a moment his eyes flashed a bright blue light. This behavior puzzled Hades…

.

_Flashback- Five weeks earlier… _

"…If this truly is goodbye Jun," said Sam solemnly before reaching in his suit jacket; "perhaps you'll need this…"

Jun turned around to see what Sam was referring to. The elder butler took out an envelope from his jacket.

"You told me to keep this safe before you went to the academy," explained Sam, "and that's just what I've done. I've made sure no one else ever knew where it was so they wouldn't steal it." He then handed the envelope over to his young charge.

Jun opened the envelope and pulled out… and Duel Monster card. Upon seeing this card for the first time in years, his eyes lit up with joy.

"It is still your favorite, is it not?" Sam cracked a smile.

.

_Present Day._

He was now holding that card in his hand, the one given back to him from his most trusted house servant. It was more than just his favorite card; it was now his salvation.

"This is it… I'm going to win," muttered Manjyome.

"What?" growled Hades on the other side of the field. "What did thou say!?"

"I said," smirked Manjyome, "I pay one thousand Life Points to play my card, _Ojamandala_! Now I can revive my Ojama monsters!"

**Manjyome: 200 LP**

As the Ojamas phased onto the field magically, the dark ruler remained puzzled. "Fool!" he hissed; "with only two-hundred Life Points left, thou shall be overtaken by the earth! Wight monsters, seize him!"

It was then revealed that the skeletons that had been dragging Manjyome down to his grave all along were the Wight monsters that were sent to the grave during the duel. Their arms clawed at his head wildly and pushed him all the way down to his chin; he could now just barely move his arms which were elbow-deep in earth.

"Manjyome-no-Aniki!" yelped the Ojamas in fear. They then jumped from the Monster Zone all the way to where the rest of Manjyome remained, and frantically began to pull at his hair. "We'll get you out! Don't worry! Heave!" they all chirped dramatically.

"Ow! …OW! Guys, you're not helping!" yelled their Aniki. "Oh, sorry!" gasped Ojama Yellow.

"Would thou waste mine time with such worthless beasts?" mocked Hades in the background.

"Actually, these 'worthless beasts' are gonna clean house in a matter of seconds! …But first, I activate my Trap card: _Ojama Trio_!"

Hades was surprised to see that Manjyome had waited all this time to summon monster tokens to the field- stranger yet, they were on the side of the dark lord.

**Ojama Tokens: 1000/ 1000 / 1000 DEF**

"Alright," huffed Manjyome, who was having slight trouble breathing. "Now that that's done, it's time to pull out the big guns. I play this: _Ojama Delta Hurricane_! With the Ojama brothers on my field, I can destroy every other card in play! Go for it, boys!"

"With pleasure!" cheered Ojama Black, as he led the pack to the center of the field. "Ally-oop!" he said, while boosting his smaller brothers into the air. He then himself took a flying leap after them, and the airborne Ojamas quickly spun into a colorful tornado.

Hades could only watch as his powerful monsters shattered into millions of pieces, along with the Ojama tokens. And as they disappeared from the field, the tokens took on the ghostly form of the Ojama brothers; they each took a comical swing at Hades' face before disappearing. Though his pride was now hurt, he was obviously more upset about losing his minions.

**Hades: 500 LP**

As the tornado blew away, the Ojamas reformed in a line before their nearly-buried companion. "N-now," said a struggling Manjyome, "I sacrifice Ojama Green and Ojama Black… to summon… this monster!" He made it an effort to move his last card onto his duel disk.

Ojama Yellow then stepped away, as his brothers once again took to the air. This time, they disappeared into a stream of bright light, indicating that they were gone for good. But in their place, something wonderful was about to emerge.

The light then split into two shades, one much darker than the other. From the white-hot side sprouted an angelic wing; from the deep blue side sprouted a pitch-black devilish one. Then, two matching beacons shone through from the creature's eyes, right before it took full form. And there it was, a dazzling dragon with two tails and two polar-opposite wings, whose right side was completely white, his left completely black. Right in the center of his face was a menacing saber-like horn, alone with a large crest atop his head.

**Light and Darkness Dragon: 2800 ATK**

Hades' jaw fell in surprise. "Bless mine soul! …Could this be…? Yes! 'tis the dragon I hath sensed all along! This is the boy's true soul!"

"Ooooh!" cooed Ojama Yellow in awe as he stood by the dragon's side.

"'Tis… 'Tis beautiful!" awed Hades as well, but then his attention turned toward what was left of Manjyome.

Amazingly, the dragon's presence had caused a mighty gust of wind that seemed to erase all of the evil effects of the duel; Manjyome stood on his feet as if he never was pulled into the earth. And what was even more surprising was that as the teen lifted his head and opened his eyes, they were glowing the same shade of light as the dragon's!

"I understand fully now," muttered Hades to himself. "The dragon is both a creature of Light, _and_ Darkness. It matters not how the boy feels; his two sides are one and the same."

On the other side, a far less vulnerable Manjyome glared intently on Hades. "You want my dragon? Well, here it comes! Light and Darkness Dragon, attack! Wipe out the rest of his Life Points… 'Black Baptism!'"

Light and Darkness Dragon opened its jaws and released a beam of energy so powerful, it zig-zagged across the field before it finally poured right through Hades. The demon lord howled loudly before disappearing into the light.

**Hades: 0**

On the opposite side of the field, the stone that would have been Manjyome's grave crumbled to ash by a fierce gust of wind.

[End song]

.

Everything turned white for a brief moment before Manjyome snapped out of his trance. He fell to his knees and dropped some of his cards, feeling overwhelmed by the forced that took him over a moment ago.

As he paused to breathe, he heard the friendly voices of the Ojama brothers jumping at him in spirit form, cheering, _"Yay! You did it! You did it, Aniki!" _Manjyome was perhaps too weak to stop Yellow from kissing his cheek. _"I knew you could do it, Aniki!"_

"Thanks… You know, I… I couldn't have done it without you guys."

_"N'aaaawwww,"_ the trio cooed, blushing.

_"We love you too, Aniki!"_ smiled Yellow.

The boy winced. "I didn't say that."

_"Yes you did."_

"No I didn't."

_"Yes you did, you just said it."_

"No I didn't, you're putting words into my mouth!"

_"Oh, just say it already! You're not hiding anything from us!"_

"I'm not gonna say it!"

_"Say what?"_

"'I love you.' Augh! SOKAS!" he swiped at them.

The Ojamas began to laugh, but their laughter was soon joined by a familiar voice:** "Hee-hee-hee-heh-heh-heh. HahahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!"**

Manjyome gasped, realized that it was Hades' voice he was hearing. Then he finally realized that in the spot where Hades once stood, a small gap of light was lingering. From behind the gap was Hades himself; his shadow, at least. And it was laughing at the teen, just as he had before.

**"Manjyome Jun!"** called Hades from beyond.** "I hath foreseen thine future, and I knowst thy fate: Thou art going to die! Hahahahahaha! I'll see thee in Hell yet, Manjyome Jun! Hahahahaha-HAhahahahahaha!" **With that, the gap of light closed completely.

Manjyome sat beside himself, as did the Ojamas who were silenced by their shock. Their moment was cut short by the sound of something collapsing; alarmed they all gasped and huddled together, expecting the end of their lives. But to their relief, the collapsing sound came only from a wall of dirt, and on the other side of it a small trickle of light from the outside poured into the pit.

.

Manjyome then heard a voice that he was unsure he'd ever hear again: Judai's. "_Manjyome!?_ …Manjyome, are you down there!?"

"J-Judai?" he gasped in disbelief.

"Manjyome?"

"Jud- …It's SANDA!"

"Hey!" Judai cheered as his head popped out from behind the small hole in the wall. "Motegi, we did it! We found him!"

Motegi then peered out of nowhere; "Oh my God, you're alive!"

"Yeah… barely," replied the teen in black. He then pulled himself up and crept over to the slope that separated him from the outside world.

"Can you climb up the wall?" asked Judai.

"I think I can use a hand."

"Quick, Motegi…" Judai then grabbed hold of Motegi's legs and carefully pushed him down toward Manjyome. The Obelisk student then grabbed hold of Manjyome's hands, and together they pulled their way to the top of the slope.

The boys then took a minute to recollect themselves; Judai and Motegi were exhausted from all the digging, and Manjyome was in a world of his own.

"…Are you okay now?" Judai asked him.

Manjyome himself was panting a little. "I… I dunno… I guess so." But he was beginning to have his doubts.

"Hey guys, we should get out of here before the whole thing caves in again," suggested Motegi. The others nodded in agreement, and without uttering another word, they let Manjyome be the first to climb his way out of the abyss.

Though they were several feet downward, the boys could see that the sun was starting to peer in the sky, indicating the end of night.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

**Next Chapter: Raising Hell, Part 1**

Featured Duel: **Manjyome Jun and Yuki Judai vs. The Long Family**


	11. Raising Hell, Part 1

_So sorry for such a long delay, ladies and gentlemen. I realize that I have a LOT of unfinished projects here, but I was eventually going to get back to them. And since my love for YGO has recently been rekindled, I thought it was time to go back here, to ToK._

_Now, I distinctly remember mapping out this duel years ago, and how painstakingly hard it was to remember every single card in everybody's decks. I went back to my old files, only to find that the duel map was... gone. Vanished. Deleted. Three chapters worth of dueling, gone forever, which means I had to DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN. (grumbles) But it's refinished now, and you'll notice that I threw in some modern day cards in here if only to make the duel itself go easier, but hey it's better than coming up with my own nonsensical cards.(I realize I've done that once, in a previous chapter, but I'd rather not do that anymore so the duels can be more believable.)_

_And now, since you've all been extremely patient with me, I give you the continuation of Tournament of Kings. I do hope you enjoy it._

-Snodin

...

"**Yu-Gi-Oh! / Yu-Hi-Oh!: GX"**

"**TOURNAMENT OF KINGS"**

**.**

**Chapter Eleven: "Raising Hell, Part 1"**

**.**

**I**

Night fell fast on the ravaged Duel Island. Young Motegi pitched a yellow tent for he and his two visiting friends to sleep in. While Motegi and Manjyome respectively slept quietly through the night, it was Judai that fidgeted the most as his dreams began to feel more like visions...

_He found himself standing in a completely dark void, with no walls, no ceiling, not even a floor. He looked around like a lost puppy. "Where am I? ...What is this place?"_

"_This is the Void between dreams and reality," came a small female voice. _

_He turned around, and standing behind him was his youngest sister, dressed in a long faded gown. Her eyes were glazed, as though she were a zombie._

"_Fuu?" he gasped. "What're you doing here?"_

_As she spoke, young Fuu's voice was decidedly dark and monotonous, almost as though she herself wasn't talking, but rather someone- or some_ thing_- was speaking through her: "They are digging for treasure, but what they'll find is anything but."_

_Judai felt a cold chill; he hugged himself. "Who... What treasure? What're you talking about?"_

"_A long forgotten treasure; three keys to a gate that would unleash powers beyond this world's comprehension. It will be like opening Pandora's Box, only this box will not release hope."_

_Judai shook his head in confusion. "I still don't understand."_

"_Remember these words, Yuki Judai: Three keys to a forbidden gate. It must not be opened."_

"_What gate?"_

"_It must not be opened..." As her voice began to fade, so did her form, into the Void from whence it came._

_Judai called back, "Fuu! ...FUU!" But his cries were in vain._

"Wha?" he muttered as his eyes fluttered open. Suddenly, it was morning; light from the sun beamed through the flimsy yellow tent. He looked around, and saw that his buddies had already left their sleeping corners. In fact, they were nowhere to be seen at all.

"Hey slacker, you up yet?" shouted a voice from outside.

"Ugh," Judai moaned before replying to Manjyome, "I'm up, I'm up."

"Come on!" said the impatient black-clad teen as he and Motegi were already dressed and greeting the day. "Those construction workers at Duel Academy aren't gonna wait for us."

"Right," moaned Judai before letting out a loud and long yawn. Then he scratched his frazzled hair and thought back to his dream, whispering the words he was meant to remember, "Three gates... No, three keys... Three keys..."

..

"Three keys, one gate... Three keys, one gate. It must not be opened."

That was what Judai constantly whispered to himself while the trio of teens were walking back to the site of Duel Academy, each carrying a backpack full of water bottles and their duel disks. Until now, he thought of nothing else but those words, not realizing that the more he repeated them, the more he raised his voice. Eventually, the smallest of the group, Motegi with his hovering angels, picked up the sound.

"What must not be opened?" asked a curious Motegi while glancing at Judai to his right.

"Huh?" peeped the brunette as he snapped out of his trance. "Oh, it's nothing. It's something I heard in a dream, it sounded important."

"I dreamed about swimming with piranhas," uttered Manjyome, who was leading the march. "Does that sound important?"

"Maybe," Judai snapped back. "Did they mention anything about Pamela's Box?"

"I think you mean Pandora's Box," smiled Motegi.

"Psh. I dunno who Pam is, I never met 'er," shrugged Judai. "All I know is that I saw my little sister talking like a ghost, and she said not to open the gate."

"Dreams don't mean anything, Judai," said a skeptical Manjyome. "It's all just a callback to past images, like movies you've seen or parts of your life you remember."

Now Judai was curious. "When did you go swimming with piranhas?"

"Forget the piranhas!" Sanda stomped his foot in frustration. "Let's just get back to the school site and find out what my brothers are digging up there."

Motegi shrugged, "I dunno, this doesn't feel right. They technically own this island now, so it's not like they're doing anything illegal here... are they?"

"That's what I want to find out," said a calmer Manjyome. "They were so eager to buy this place, even after it was wrecked, and neither one of them bothered to tell me why. They know something..." He kept it at that, and pressed on through the once lush forest, now paved in ash and rock.

The other two followed more quietly, though Judai was still curious about something. "What's worse, dream piranhas, or dream sharks?" he muttered softly.

.

It only took them a few hours to reach the last deserted patch of land before they could stop to rest, but some things just couldn't be put to rest, as Judai and Motegi struck a most unusual argument:

"I think it would be better to swim with piranhas," said Motegi matter-of-factly. "They don't attack unless there's blood in the water... Now, barracudas are another thing."

"Barracudas don't scare me," retorted Judai. "If I saw one in my dream, I'd probably serve it up with butter and chips. I'll bet they taste like tuna."

"How do you know?"

"Everything in the ocean tastes like tuna. That's why they call it the 'Chicken of the Sea.'"

Their traveling companion was regretting he ever brought up last night's dream; he clenched his fists, gnashed his teeth, and growled, "That's IT. I can't TAKE it anymore! I swear, if one of you makes ONE MORE comment about dream fish, I'll-"

**Rumnle-Rumble-Rumble!**

"...Oh my God! Was that an aftershock?" asked a wide-eyed Sanda, fearing that another earthquake was upon them. He looked left and right, but nothing looked out of the ordinary (unless one would count the burned down forest).

**Rumble, rumble.**

"Sorry," blushed Judai as he patted his tummy. "That was me, I'm starving."

On one hand, Manjyome was relieved; on the other hand, he was looking just as annoyed as ever.

"All this talk about fish has made me hungry too," moaned Motegi. "You think the construction site's got a cafeteria?"

Hearing the unmistakable sound of an engine revving up in the distance, Manjyome looked ahead and replied, "I think we're about to find out."

The other boys looked ahead, and sure enough they could see smoke coming from just beyond a mound of fallen trees. The old school grounds were just up ahead.

.

Unbeknownst to them, a small group of spies were watching their every move from a safe distance. The biggest of them pulled out a cell phone, opened it, and softly spoke into it: "Boss? I thought you should know, we found some kids headed your way."

"_Follow them,"_ said the voice on the other end. _"If they're dueslists, then you know what to do, Tian."_

"You got it."

..

Where the prestigious Duel Academy once stood, there was now a gaping hole in the earth that looked like it could go on forever. Bulldozers forged a spiral path toward the deepest center, creating hill slope after hill slope so that the bigger machines could have a safe descent into the crater's center. There were no yellow brick obelisks anymore, nor were there any remnants of the school. It was all gone now, taken away possibly to be recycled for other construction projects in the future.

.

Judai and company stood in awe atop a high cliff that gave them a bird's eye view of the dig site. On one hand, they were truly amazed as how quickly the Manjyome Group managed to "clean up" the school's destruction. On the other hand, they started to wonder where to go from there.

"Geeze," sighed Judai. "if they go any deeper, they might hit more lava."

"The school was as far as it could be from the volcano," advised Manjyome. "They're not looking for lava; they're looking for something else."

"How do you know?" wondered small Motegi.

The tallest one of the three explained, "Back when I was living in the mansion, my Ojama boys heard my brothers talking about a buried treasure on this island. It could be that they're looking for the three Demon Gods we fought during our first year here."

Judai narrowed his eyes at the dig site. "I hope that's not what they're looking for. Doesn't anybody know how dangerous god cards are?"

"What're you, some kind of genius?" asked a female voice from behind.

The trio turned around, and before their eyes stood five tan-skinned people dressed in baggy pants, vests, torn jackets and other attire that gave them the look of a pirate gang. They each had at least one tattoo on their arm, appearing to be a Chinese dragon encircling their biceps. In fact, the tallest one of all was built like a wrestler; his hair was bright yellow and spiky, and was wearing nothing more than a leather vest, exposing his ripped torso.

The others looked like street toughs as well; only one was female, and she had long pink hair pulled back in a ponytail and braid. She wore dark brown army boots over white torn pants with black suspenders that looked more like an accessory than an actual requirement. She had on a small black tank top that was torn from the bottom, exposing her well-built belly.

The smallest of the bunch, who had to be no older than twelve, had natural black hair which was short-cut and tamed, unlike his slightly older twin brothers, whose hair colors were a bright blue and neon green. The green and blue-haired ones appeared to be the same height, weight and wore similar jackets. They must have been twins, although their hair was no unmatched one couldn't tell right away.

"Lookit what we got here guys," mused the tall muscular blonde. "Let me guess, you came all this way just to see the sights, right?"

Jun's eyes narrowed at him. "What's it to you?"

The big man replied with a smile, "Me n' my sibs here were hired by the Manjyomes to stop anyone that got in the way of their plans."

"Yeah," said the green-haired one. "They needed extra guards in this place, so naturally we signed up for the job."

The teen in black grit his teeth. "You mean to tell me they hired a gang of punks like you just to try to get in _my_ way?"

"And," frowned the unimpressed gang leader, "just who the hell are you?"

Instead of looking insulted, the teen's eyes brightened with excitement; his irises shrunk down to dots. He gave them an evil grin. "Really? You mean... you don't _know_?"

Judai thrust his fist and smiled; he knew what was coming. "Do it!" he cheered.

Imagining spotlights beaming down on him from an otherwise dark arena, the boy in black made his dramatic entrance speech: "I am the duelist that brings the thunder, the one who strikes his opponents with the force of a lightning bolt. I am he who blows away all competition like a raging hurricane. I am... _Ichi! Juu! Hyaku! Sen! Man-jyome SAN-DA_!" His dream-intro was topped off with a flash of white-hot thunderbolts from all around; _**K-K-K-K-CRACKLE!**_

"...That's just stupid," muttered the gang's only female member.

For once in his young career, Manjyome felt defeated, and turned blue with embarrassment. _"Mwomp-mwomp,"_ he heard in his head., the sound of utter failure.

"Aw, come on!" argued Judai, stepping forward. "You guys couldn't do any better than that!"

"Who the hell is _this_ guy?" asked the gang leader, still not impressed with the younger duelists.

"Oh-ho!" grinned Judai mischievously. "You want _my_ intro now? Fine! I am..." An imaginary spotlight fell on his likeness now. "...Yuki Judai."

"...Really?" said a bewildered and even disappointed Manjyome. "You're just gonna leave it at that?"

Judai gave him a narrow-eyed smirk. "What? Not all of us have puns in their name."

Sanda blushed slightly. "Touche."

"I," announced the big yellow-haired guy, "am the eldest of the Long brothers- the name's Tian. These are my siblings." He pointed to the green-haired one, followed by the blue-haired one. "This is Shen, and by his left is his twin Di." He then pointed to the pink-haired girl. "This here is our sister, Zhu." And with the smallest and black-haired one he introduced, "And this is our youngest brother, Pan. We've been dueling together for years now, but you probably never heard of us cause we haven't gone pro yet."

"Wait. You wanna duel us?" asked a surprised Judai.

"Why not?" shrugged Tian. "We figure if we show the boss what we've got, he might just put in a good word at North Academy."

"I don't believe this," shook Jun's head. "There's no way my brothers would associate with such goofy-looking punks. You guys are full of it, and you're wasting my time!"

Tian then pulled from his pocket his small cellphone and spoke into it. "Did you hear that, Mister Boss-Man?"

"_Every word. Put him on the phone."_ was his response.

Tian handed his phone to the boy in black. "Here, the boss wants to speak to ya."

Hesitant for a moment, Manjyome snatched up the phone and spoke into it. "Whoever this is, you and your pathetic cronies don't scare me."

"_Is that any way to speak to your older brother, Jun?"_

Manjyome's eyes widened. "Shouji?"

.

Standing on another side of the deepening pit, Shouji Manjyome stood with a tall glass of pina colada while lounging under a tent and wearing sunglasses as though he were on vacation. "You sound surprised," he smiled as he talked on the other end of the phone. "Did you really think Chosaku and I wouldn't be here to witness history in the making?"

.

"_I have to give Kaiba credit, he was clever to hide such amazing power underneath his school."_

"Shouji-niisan," pleaded the youngest Manjyome, "whatever Kaiba-san is hiding, he must be hiding it for a reason. You can't- you **shouldn't** do this."

"_..."_

"Shouji?"

"_I'm here, I was just taking a sip of my drink. Tell you what, little brother, how about we make a deal? Duel my hired grunts, and if you win you get to keep whatever it is I find under these ruins."_

"...And if I lose?"

"_I think you know what will happen if you lose. And just to make sure you don't show up and claim to be the winner, I'll be on my way over there to witness the duel for myself. Deal?"_

He sighed. "I don't really have a choice in the matter, do I?"

"_'Fraid not. Well, I'll see you in a bit little brother. Oh! And one more thing, Jun?"_

"What's that?"

"_You owe me a house."_ **Click.**

He grunted, remembering that he did start a fire at the mansion. He hung up the phone and tossed it back to Tian. "Alright you big lug, you've got yourself a duel."

"Really?" blinked Judai. "I figured we could just ditch these guys and make a run for it."

"It won't matter, they'd just keep pestering us until we give in anyway. Besides, my brother's offering us the 'treasure' if we win. So, Judai... are you game?"

With eyes closed and arms crossed, Judai took a moment to think the situation over: "The two of us, up against five crazy yahoos for a chance at buried treasure? I have only one thing to say to that." His eyes opened wide with excitement. "Game on!"

..

**II**

That same afternoon, in a quiet part of town near downtown Domino, a small game and hobby shop was getting a visitor unlike any other. A limo as long as a basketball court pulled up to the front, stopping two people walking by in their tracks.

They watched in awe, as the last car door on the farthest end opened, and out stepped a long buckled boot, followed by a very tall man in a long white coat lined in undone buckles over an all-black Gothic-like outfit. The man with short, flat brown hair carried with him a dark suitcase, its inner contents a mystery to the on-lookers. But they knew right away who he was, and could take an educated guess as to what was in the case.

He headed straight for the game and hobby store, not once glancing back at the curious witnesses.

.

Yugi was polishing up the counter in the store, when the door's alarm bell rang, indicating that a customer had arrived. Imagine his surprise, however, when he realized who had just walked through the door: "Kaiba...!"

"Hello, Yugi," greeted the man in the white coat, his tone dark and as unfriendly as ever. "It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

The spiky-haired duelist behind the store counter set his towel aside. "Not really," he replied softly. "I saw you just last week at the Regional... Oh, wait. You meant it's been a while since we talked personally. Yeah, it has. ...What brings you here?"

Kaiba set his suitcase on the counter, disregarding the fact that it wasn't fully polished. "I've been busy planning an upcoming tournament. You're the first one outside my office to hear about it; it's strictly hush-hush for now."

"A Duel Monsters tournament?" Yugi almost gulped; he knew that if Kaiba himself wanted to talk about a tournament, it would involve him and his title in some way.

And sure enough, the next words out of Kaiba's mouth were, "You wouldn't be interested in defending your title of King of Games, would you?"

Yugi glanced downward; there was a certain look of sadness in his eyes. "I... I've been meaning to talk to someone about this for a while now. See, Kaiba... ugh, there's no easy way to say this, but... lately, I've been considering retiring from the game."

The taller man's blue eyes flashed wide in shock; it was just as the Duel Spirit had foretold some time ago. "What?" he gasped.

Still hanging his head, the smaller man replied, "It's not an easy decision, Kaiba, but there are reasons why I'm quitting. My grandfather's been very ill- he's been in and out of the hospital for weeks now. I'm not sure how much longer he has... Plus, without him, this store's business would fail. Somebody has to take over in his absence."

"You can higher someone to do that. Someone like Honda Hiroto or that fool Katsuya perhaps."

"This is more than just a store to me. This is my family's business, and it means much more than just a silly game title."

SLAM! -went Kaiba's hand on the table, making Yugi jump out of his skin. "'A _silly_ game title?'" he growled. "The same title you've earned from Pegasus J. Crawford? A title you've defended from the likes of Malik, Dartz, Zorc and many other low-lives? Let me tell you something, Moto Yugi, this is not some 'silly' game title. You and I both know better."

"Kaiba..." Yugi was taken aback, but he couldn't see the fear in his old rival's eyes.

Seto took a breath and softened his tone. "Look, I'm sorry for your grandfather. He's a good man. But giving up your title of Game King is not something we should take lightly. Who knows what could be out there, just waiting to take over?"

Yugi blinked. "Kaiba. Are you saying there's... something evil out there?"

Seto glanced away, looking as though he were literally watching his back. "I can't say for sure, Yugi; but if there is, we need to do this right. We need to throw this new tournament." He then opened up his suitcase, and inside were legal papers and documents, like contracts that only Yugi could sign. "Initially, I was going to hold this tournament in honor of the kids that lost their lives on Duel Island. But perhaps we could use it to find ourselves a proper replacement for you. That is, _if _you're still considering retirement."

Yugi stared down at the papers; there were rules and regulations of a game series not yet fully produced. It was like looking at a first draft of a novel, or a dreamer's sketch work. Someone only of his caliber would fully understand them. "Hmm," he thought deeply before making a final decision. "I... I need to think it over, just a little while longer."

"Very well," answered Kaiba as he closed the suitcase. He then took it in his hand and said, "You'll call me when you're ready to decide."

"I will," nodded the shopkeeper.

He then watched the CEO of Kaiba Corp. walk himself out of the shop, still looking rather puzzled and alarmed but now curious as well. He wondered if this was a sign, a calling, or could it be the biggest mistake of his life? _Oh,_ he wondered, _if only the Pharaoh were still here. He would know what to do... _

..

**III**

Meanwhile, on Duel Island, a team battle was underway; Manjyome and Judai, versus the Long siblings. Manjyome was to Judai's right, staring down the five punks with bright colored hair and tan skin covered in various tattoos.

Their arena was nothing more than a dusty bed in the middle of the road toward the great dig site, with scattered debris as their backdrop. Everything was underway, except for one small mishap...

"Oops," blushed an embarrassed Judai, after slipping his duel disk over his arm. "I forgot something important."

His dueling partner made a face. "Don't tell me you left your deck at home."

"No, I brought that."

"Oh, thank goodness, I thought for a second there-"

"It's just, I forgot to charge up my duel disk before I left home." Suddenly, Manjyome raised a fist to him and he loudly pleaded, "Not in the face!"

"Here, Judai-kun!" called out Motegi, as he sat on a boulder that could pass as a chair. He then pulled out from his traveling backpack a duel disk that looked as good as new, despite recent events. "You can borrow mine, it's already fully charged. Besides, I wasn't feeling up to dueling anyway." He tossed it to Judai, who caught it like a pro.

"Thanks, buddy!" smiled Judai as he slid the disk onto his left arm. "That's _two_ things I owe you now."

"Two?" blinked Manjyome. "What else did you 'borrow' from him lately?"

With a sly smile Judai replied, "Oh, you'll see..."

The siblings, meanwhile, lined up in order of their ages, eldest to youngest. Manjyome stood to Judai's right on the other side of the dusty field.

.

"**DUEL!"**

**Tian: 8000 LP**

**Shen: 8000 LP**

**Zhu: 8000 LP**

**Di: 8000 LP**

**Pan: 8000 LP**

**Manjyome: 8000 LP**

**Judai: 8000 LP**

.

"You guys have fun," smiled Motegi as he started to walk away.

"Wha? Wait, where're you going?" asked a puzzled Manjyome.

Motegi shrugged, "I can smell the food court from here, so I figured if I can't duel, I might as well grab a bite. Be back in a few, guys." And with that, he trotted off.

Judai let out a wide-mouthed moan. "Auugh! Why didn't _I _think of that? He better bring me back something, or I'll eat one of his marshmallow angels!"

Manjyome's eyebrows furrowed with concern. "I believe you would."

Tian flipped a coin and called, "Heads." The coin was caught in his hand and he looked it over. "Heh, heads it is. My siblings and I will begin this turn; we'll go clockwise from me, down to Pan, then Thunder-Boy, and Moanin' Lisa last."

Judai was still dreaming of a banquet of food and as a result the insult went over his head.

.

**-Turn 1-**

"I go first," said Tian the eldest. "I draw, and summon Cave Dragon in Attack Mode."

**Cave Dragon: 2000 ATK (Cannot attack without other dragons on the field.)**

"Turn over, you go little brother." he said to the slightly younger teen on his left.

"Draw," said Shen. "I summon Luster Dragon to the field..."

**Luster Dragon Dragon: 1900 ATK**

"Turn over."

"My turn, draw!" went Zhu. "I place Dread Dragon in Defense mode."

**Dread Dragon: 400 DEF**

"Turn over. Go, Di."

"Draw," said the second to last brother. "I summon Golem Dragon to the field in Defense Mode as well, and while he's face-up on the field, no other dragon can be attacked except for him. Turn over."

"My turn, draw!" exclaimed the youngest Long, Pan. "I summon Red Eyes Black Chick to the field..."

**Red-Eyes Black Chick: 800 ATK**

"...Then, I use its effect; I sacrifice it to Special Summon its elder form: Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

**Red-Eyes Black Dragon: 2400 ATK**

"That ends my turn," he said solemnly.

.

Now it was Manjyome's turn. "Draw!" He paused to look over his hand of seven cards, while also looking closely at the opposing field. "All dragons, and not one face-down card... Hmm... I wonder what it is they're planning," he whispered to himself. "...No matter. I summon Armed Dragon Level 3 to the field."

**Armed Dragon Level 3: 1200 ATK**

"Next, I play the Spell card _Level Up!_, which lets me trade in my Level 3 for Level 5."

A gust of wind encircled the baby spiked dragon until it was engulfed by a tornado, from which emerged it bigger, pudgier form.

**Armed Dragon Level 5: 2400 ATK**

"I'm not yet finished," added Manjyome. "I'll now activate his effect: I already have a second copy of this dragon in my hand, so I'll discard it to the Graveyard to destroy a monster on the field with an Attack equal to or lower than his Attack Points. And there's only one monster that fits the bill: Pan's Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

Armed Dragon whirled around so that its tail would act as a wrecking ball, slamming into the jet-black beast on its far right, sending it into oblivion.

"Since I can't attack anything else," frowned Sanda, "I'll attack Golem Dragon."

Armed Dragon opened up its trap jaw and hurled a fiery bomb at Golem Dragon; Di took no damage.

"I set a card face down in the Spell and Trap Zone, and end my turn. You're up Judai."

.

"Finally! Draw!" announced Judai. He held up three cards from his hand. "I activate the Spell card _Fusion_, then send E-Hero Wildheart and E-Hero BladeEdge from my hand to the grave, to Special Summon the almighty E-Hero WildEdge!"

**E-Hero WildEdge: 2600 ATK**

"Next, I Normal Summon E-Hero Stratos."

**E-Hero Stratos: 1800 ATK**

"But wait, there's more! Once Stratos is summoned to the field, I can use one of two Effects. I'll use his second effect, to fetch another E-Hero from my deck..." That he did, but kept the new Hero card a secret to his opponents.

"Finally," Judai announced, "since you guys decided to set all your deliciously flavored monsters in Attack Mode, I'll sick my WildEdge on all of them! He can do that, you know, attack each and every opposing monster in one go! So attack, my WildEdge! Take out that bowl of mint chocolate ice cream..."

The Fusion monster sliced through Cave Dragon; **[Tian: 7400 LP]**

"Then that sausage..."

Dread Dragon was no more; **[Zhu: 8000 LP] **"My dragon's death lets me search my deck for a new one," she informed, and proceeded to fetch a new card.

"And finally, that tall glass of blueberry milkshake!"

Luster Dragon was sliced in two and disintegrated;** [Shen: 7100 LP]**

"Um... Judai?" peeped a concerned Manjyome. "Those were all dragons, you know."

With tears pouring down his blank face, Judai wailed with a high-pitched sob in his voice: "I'M STILL HUNGRY-Y-Y-Y...!"

"Are you finished?" groaned Tian.

"Huh? ...Oh, uh, no. I attack yellow-spiky-hair-dude directly with Stratos!"

**Tian: 7400- 5600 LP**

"Next, I set two cards face down. Turn over."

.

**-Turn 2-**

"Draw," announced Tian. "I summon Exploder Dragon, in Attack Mode."

**Exploder Dragon: 1000 ATK (Takes no Battle Damage; destroys a Monster in Battle)**

"I'll set two cards. Turn over."

"Draw," came Shen. "Spear Dragon, in Attack Mode."

**Spear Dragon: 1900 ATK**

"I attack E-Hero Stratos!"

With one-hundred points over Stratos, the needle-nosed behemoth easily crushed the Wind-type warrior.

**Judai: 7900 LP**

"Well, that didn't help you at all," he commented. "I chain my Trap, _Hero's Signal_. This lets me summon an Elemental Hero from my deck and onto the field, and I choose E-Hero Clayman, in Defense Mode."

**E-Hero Clayman: 2000 DEF**

"Whatever," scoffed Shen. "Now that my Dragon's done his job, he automatically switches to Defense Mode."

**Spear Dragon: 0 DEF**

"I set a card, and end my turn."

.

"I draw," confirmed Zhu. "I'll set another Dread Dragon in Defense mode.

**Dread Dragon: 400 DEF**

"Turn over."

_What is this? _Manjyome thought to himself. _They're hardly making any effort to attack us..._

.

"Draw," said young Di. "I set Masked Dragon in Defense Mode..."

**Masked Dragon: 1100 DEF**

"Then I set a card face-down. Go, Pan."

.

"Draw," said the youngest Long. "I summon Blackland Fire Dragon in Defense mode, as well."

**Blackland Fire Dragon: 800 DEF**

"Turn over."

.

"Idiots," scoffed the duelist in black. "You let a full turn go by, and you did nothing to destroy my Armed Dragon? Now you're going to get what you deserve: During my Standby Phase, my Armed Dragon goes up a Level! Say goodbye to Level 5, and hello to Level 7!"

The same whirlwind that carried the baby form of Armed Dragon appeared yet again, this time big enough to engulf its sub-adult form. From the twister came a barrage of black metal spikes, which sliced through the air. Standing before the Long family now was a true monster of a dragon, a seven-foot-tall behemoth covered head to tail in dark, menacing blades, with a menacing power drill at the end of its tail.

**Armed Dragon Level 7: 2800 ATK**

"I'll now activate his effect: By discarding a monster in hand, I can now automatically destroy every opposing monster with an Attack equal too or less than the discarded monster." Before he banished his chosen card, he held it up for everyone to see: Horus the Black Flame Dragon, Level 6 Dragon. "And since Horus the Black Flame Dragon has 2300 Attack Points, then all of your monsters are wiped out."

Armed Dragon's super drill tail was then plunged into the earth, and came out on the other side of the field in the form of massive spinning drills, shattering the opposing monsters in a flash.

"Next, I summon Blizzard Dragon."

**Blizzard Dragon: 1800 ATK**

"Alright Tian, get ready cause this is gonna hurt. Armed Dragon, Blizzard Dragon! Attack!"

"Nice try," grinned Tian, "but I activate my Trap card, Negate Attack. It may only negate one monster's attack but once it does, the Battle Phase ends. So, no damage to me."

**Tian: 7400 LP**

Manjyome scowled. "Fine, then. It's all on you now, Judai."

.

"Alright," smiled Judai as he drew his next card. He caught the sight of blue-green instantly; a Spell card. But not just any Spell card, but one of his personal favorites: _Transcendent Wings._ "Huh," he mused softly to himself. "This could come in handy later. But first..." He then raised his voice, "I summon Elemental Hero Sparkman, in Attack Mode!"

**E-Hero Sparkman: 1600 ATK**

"And, I'll attack the Super Saiyan Guy with both of my monsters!"

WildEdge slashed through Tian's field, dealing 2600-point damage, followed by an electric blast from Sparkman. He had a face-down card, but chose not to activate it.

**Tian: 7400 – 4800 – 3200 LP**

.

"Yeah!" cheered Judai. "That's what you get for messing with _Ichi! Juu! Hyaku! Sen! Man-_Judai _SAN-DA_!"

As Judai laughed uncontrollably, his dueling partner palmed his face in disgrace. "I'm embarrassed for the both of us."

"Come on, man! We're winning! Aren't you happy? We could finish this in like two more turns, easy."

"That's what worries me," muttered the raven-haired Sanda. "So far, all they've done is summon dragons, and so far only a few of them were even remotely threatening. It's almost as if they _want _us to throw them to the Grave... AUGH!" A terrible thought just rushed through Jun's head, as he remembered seeing this strategy once before, in the not so distant past. His mouth gaped and his eyes widened; his face flushed blue in sheer terror.

"What? ...What's wrong?" blinked Judai.

"Don't you see it?" replied his still terror-stricken partner. "It's so obvious now: Five players, five dragon decks, no regard if they hit the Grave or not... That could mean only one thing: They're going to summon... _Five God Dragon_!"

Tian couldn't help but laugh out loud, while his siblings snickered along with him. This sent chills down the spines of their opponents.

"Oh, what?" chuckled the ring leader. "Did you really think we'd be stupid enough to just throw away our monsters without a plan? Allow me to show you the true nature of our strategy..."

.

**-Turn 3-**

The spiky blonde drew his next card and held it out for his opponents to see. "I play this, the Spell card _Future Fusion_. First I must show you which Fusion monster I plan to summon through this spell's effect." He then pulled a card from his Extra Deck slot and showed a purple-coded monster card that was all too familiar to Manjyome. "As you can see, Thunder Boy, your guess was correct. In two turns from now, I will special summon a Five God Dragon from my extra deck. To do this, I must search my deck for the monsters needed to bring him to life. And, as I'm sure you know, I can choose any five dragons."

He rummaged through his deck and found five Normal Dragon-Type monsters and allowed his discard slot to swallow them all.

"But why stop there? After all, I have three copies of Five God Dragon. It'd be a shame to make you wait so long to see it for yourselves, so I'll now play my _Dragon's Mirror _card!"

"Here we go," braced Jun fearfully.

"By releasing my five dragons from the grave," explained Tian, "I can now special summon the Fusion monster they would be used as its materials. So behold, the all-powerful and almighty Five God Dragon!"

Just as the duo feared, a massive blueish behemoth rose to twelve feet high, sporting massive bat wings, a build like Gojira's, and five specially designed heads, each representing either an element of nature or a rock formation, or metallic melding.

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Great Five God Dragon," smiled Tian, "obliterate the Manjyome boy's pathetic Blizzard Dragon."

"Not to fast!" shouted Judai. "I activate my face-down card: _Shift_! I'll redirect that dragon's attack to my Clayman in Defense Mode."

Poor Clayman, he stood like a rock while a barrage of elemental streams melted him into oblivion. No battle damage was taken.

"Heh-heh! You're both just prolonging the inevitable," chuckled a victorious Tian. "That ends my turn."

.

"Draw!" called Shen. "I play the Spell card _Double Summon_, which lets me Normal Summon a monster twice this turn. I'll then bring out my Twin-Headed Behemoth, and my Mirage Dragon."

**Twin-Headed Behemoth: 1500 ATK**

**Mirage Dragon: 1600 ATK**

"Turn over."

.

"My turn," said Zhu as she drew her new card. "I too play Double Summon, so that I can bring out my two Troop Dragons."

**Troop Dragons x2: 700 ATK**

"I set a card face-down. Over to you, little brother."

.

"Draw!" declared Di.

"Hole on there, Di," said Zhu. "First, let me activate my Trap card, Call of the Haunted. With this, I'll bring back my Dread Dragon from the grave."

**Dread Dragon: 1100 ATK**

"Good move, sis," smiled the blue-haired boy. "I summon Jet-Black Dragon."

**Jet-Black Dragon (or, Pitch Dark Dragon): 900 ATK**

"Now, I play the Spell card _Super Fusion_! This lets me fuse monsters from either my side of the field, or from someone else's field. I choose to fuse my dragon, with the three dragons on my sister's field. Five dragons go to the grave, and now... rise, my Five God Dragon!"

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Another one!?" gasped Judai in horror.

"Five God Dragon will take care of that unsightly Armed Dragon Level 7. Attack!"

Five elements of nature- flame, lightning, water, darkness and pure light- came out like a stream toward Manjyome's helpless dragon.

**Manjyome: 8000 – 5800 LP**

"Sorry Manjyome," frowned Judai. "I didn't see that one coming."

"Sanda. And it's not your fault."

"Without that big dragon's effect," taunted Di, "you won't be able to use it to take out our dragons next turn. It's your turn now, Pan."

.

"Draw," said the smallest Long brother. "Ha! You're in for it now, losers! I summon another Red-Eyes Black Chick to the field."

**Red-Eyes Black Chick: 800 ATK**

"Now I'll remove it from play so that I can special summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"

A black flame exploded onto his field, giving rise to a fully-metallic version of the red-eyed, black-scaled beast of legend.

**Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon: 2800 ATK**

"Then I'll activate its effect, allowing me to special summon another dragon from my hand. I bring out Darkblaze Dragon."

**Darkblaze Dragon: 1200 ATK**

Next, I'll discard my _Foolish Burial _card to play the spell card, _Different Dimension Revival_. This lets me bring my Red-Eyes Black Chick to the field."

**Red-Eyes Black Chick: 800 ATK**

"And finally, I play the spell card _Super Fusion_! You know what that means."

Judai gulped and began to sweat.

"I," declared Pan, "sacrifice my three dragons, plus my brother Shen's Behemoth and Mirage Dragon, to bring out my very own Five God Dragon!"

**Five God Dragon 5000 ATK**

.

This was quickly starting to look like a bad dream, except it was very real. A minute ago, Judai and his friends were certain this would be a quick and easy duel, but now they were staring into the dozens of eyes of not one, not two, but _three_ five-headed god-like dragons! And, it was still their opponent's turn.

"You may have delayed my siblings till now," said the confidant Pan, "but it's no use. You see guys, we all have Five God Dragons in our Extra Decks, so no matter what you do, we'll just keep on coming and hitting you with everything we've got! So do yourselves a favor, and surrender now."

Judai and Manjyome stood their ground. They were clearly looking scared, almost to the point of shaking in their shoes. But they both balled their fists, ready to keep going. Even if it meant almost certain failure.

"No?" blinked Pan. "Fine then, you've asked for it! Five God Dragon, ATTACK!"

Streams of hellfire, lightning and water, darkness and pure light came from all sides, all directed at Judai. He closed his eyes and braced for impact...

.

**TO BE CONTINUED**

Next Chapter: **"Raising Hell, Part 2"**

Featured Duel: **Judai and Manjyome vs. The Long Family (continued)**

(For reals, this time)


	12. Raising Hell, Part 2

"**Yu-Gi-Oh! / Yu-Gi-Oh!: GX"**

"**TOURNAMENT OF KINGS"**

**.**

**Chapter Twelve: "Raising Hell, Part 1I"**

**.**

**I**

.

Our duel, thus far...

On the side of the Long Family:

-Tian, with **3200 LP**; one face-down card, one Future Fusion in play, and one fearsome Five God Dragon.

-Shen, with **7100 LP**; nothing on his field.

-Zhu, with all **8000 LP** in tact, but an empty field.

-Di, with **8000 LP** and a hungry Five God Dragon.

-Pan, with **8000 LP**, and a Five God Dragon set to attack. It's still his turn.

.

On the other side:

-Manjyome, with **5800 LP**, a set Spell or Trap, and a Blizzard Dragon in play.

-Judai, with **8000 LP** and two monsters, Sparkman and WildEdge in play. Pan was about to unleash his behemoth on Judai by attacking Sparkman, but the bot forgot one very important thing: Judai had a face-down card.

.

"My Five God Dragon will annihilate your puny little Sparkman, Jody."

"It's _Judai_," retorted the former Osiris student to Pan. "And go ahead, I'm not scared!"

"Fine, then!"

"Pan, wait!" cried out his sister Zhu, but he ignored her.

"Attack, my five-headed beast!"

Just as the barrage of elements were about to rain down on him, Pan's opponent called out, "I chain my Trap card, _Mirror Gate_! This temporarily switches control of your attacking monster with the E-Hero that's being attacked."

In a flash, Pan was met with Elemental Hero Sparkman with his dragon facing him on the other side of the field. "What?" gasped the preteen. "But... my attack still goes through, right?"

"Oh it goes through alright," grinned Judai slyly. "Except now, you're the one who takes the battle damage!"

"No!" screamed Pan, but that wouldn't stop the onslaught of his once pet dragon, pulverizing his new monster and knocking down his life meter.

**Pan: 8000 – 4600 LP**

"I tried to warn you," frowned Zhu. "I saw his face-down card. You should always be cautious of those."

Pan narrowed his eyes to her. "Yeah, _now_ you warn me, sis."

"It doesn't matter," argued Tian. "After the effect, you get your dragon back. His little stunt was pointless."

.

As the dragon resumed its place in front of Pan, Manjyome overheard Tian and replied with, "You only think it's pointless because it's just the two of us against the five of you. You're all tough now, but wait till we start thinning out the herd, so to speak."

"Yeah!" cheered Judai, "what he said! First, we're gonna thin out your heard, then we're gonna chop it up and make hamburgers out of it! Or maybe chop it up into a stew!"

"Judai?" peeped his dueling partner.

"OR, maybe we can do the stew AND the burgers! With hot dogs frying on the grill, and serve them with french fries and onion rings!"

"Judai!"

"Beef! It's what's for dinner!"

"JUDAI!"

"What?"

"You're drooling all over your duel disk."

Judai blushed softly. "Whoops, heh... Sorry, dude, I've never dueled on such an empty stomach before. Where the heck is that Motegi with the grub already?"

Manjyome rolled his eyes. "It's only been two turns."

"Two and a half!" corrected Di.

Manjyome groaned, "Fine, whatever. You need to be ready for when we're up to bat. Get your game face on."

"I was _born_ with my game face on!" smiled Judai.

"Is it my turn yet?" asked Manjyome to the youngest of the Long siblings.

"Yes, my turn's done," replied Pan. "But you still have three, soon to be four Five God Dragons to worry about."

.

Manjyome drew his next card and looked it over. "Heh," he purred. "You guys think I'm scared of a few dragons?"

"Uh," retorted Di, "if by 'dragons,' you mean dragons with five-thousand attack points each?"

The duelist in black grinned, "That's just the thing, kid: it takes more than just raw power to defeat an opponent; it takes skill and a decent strategy to come out on top. Strategy like_ this,_ for example." He played from his hand a turquoise card and declared, "I play the Spell card _Level Modulation_. Its first effect allows all players to draw two cards."

"That's your so-called strategy?" asked an unimpressed Zhu as she drew her cards. "You're just giving us more cannon fodder."

"I'm also bringing back a monster with 'Level' in its name back from the grave," replied Manjyome. "And I choose Armed Dragon Level 7!"

The Long siblings were reintroduced to the dark and metallic beast with the power-drill tail.

**Armed Dragon Level 7: 2800 ATK**

"We've already beaten that monster before," scoffed Tian.

Manjyome's teeth grit with anger. "Amateurs, I'm just getting started! I sacrifice my Armed Dragon Level 7, to Special Summon to the field his ultimate form: the almighty Armed Dragon, Level 10!"

The red-bellied dragon stood on its hind legs as its arms, legs and head became equipped with even more battle armor, metal that shined like silver, complete with half-circle blades for wings, and taloned gauntlets on its now humanoid hands. The sloping knives running down the side of its face were so massive, they looked like a secondary bottom jaw, making its face even smaller in appearance. Whatever wasn't covered in silver armor was now blood-red with jetting muscles.

**Armed Dragon Level 10: 3000 ATK**

"Now observe, rookies, as I make your big and scary Five God Dragons disappear: By sending one card from my hand to the Graveyard, I activate Level 10's effect, which destroys all of your face-up monsters!"

Manjyome separated a card from his others in hand, a copy of Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 8, and shoved it into his duel disk's discard slot. In one fell swoop, all of the Five God Dragons that stood before him now shattered like glass and were disintegrated. The Long siblings watched in both shock and awe, as did Judai.

But Manjyome kept his cool all the while. "Oh! You don't like that, do you? Well you're certainly not gonna like this, Tian. I'll now sic both of my monsters on you, buddy- goodbye Life Points, goodbye Future Fusion, goodbye duel!"

One mega-sized slash of Armed Dragon 10's gauntlets would have certainly cleaved the man in half, had it not been a hologram. But it was Blizzard Dragon's icy breath that sealed his fate.

**Tian: 3200- 200- 0- KNOCKOUT**

"And that, children, is how you play Duel Monsters. Thank you, and goodnight." With that, he took a proud bow, encouraging both Judai and Zhu Long to applaud.

Shen elbowed his sister harshly; she jolted and confessed, "What? I'm genuinely impressed!"

Tian crossed his arms. "Okay, so you knocked one of us out. No big deal, you're still outnumbered, twerps."

Sanda was not phased by his warning. "I'll place one card face down, and let my partner take care of the rest of you. Go for it, Judai."

.

"My pleasure. Draw!" Judai glanced at the turquoise card and smiled, "Ah, Pot of Greed, always a duelist's best friend. I play _Pot of Greed _and draw two free cards." With that, he gained a monster, Elemental Hero Neos, and another Spell card, one that would speed up his strategy.

"Ooo, this is gonna be sweet!" he beamed. "First, I play my Spell card, _Fusion Sage_. It lets me search for a copy of Fusion from my deck... Now, I'll play my Fusion card on the two monsters I have in my hand: Elemental Hero Neos, and Elemental Hero Avian!"

"Wait," blinked his confused dueling partner. "I thought Neos could only fuse with Neo-Spacian monsters."

Judai grinned slyly, "Well normally you'd be right, but the mosnter I plan to summon only requires Neos and a Warrior-type monster. And with that, I bring out... Elemental Hero Neos Knight!"

In a flash of light, a ten-foot tall monster was born: with mostly white body armor and a dark blue helmet with flowing red mane, the creature bore a large moon-crested shield in its left hand and a double-bladed sword in its right. Its head was similar to Neos, but the bulk of it made the original Neos look rather scrawny.

**Elemental Hero Neos Knight: 2500 + 500 = 3000 ATK**

"As you can see," Judai explained, "My Neos Knight starts with 2500 Attack Points, but he gains half the Attack Points of the Warrior I fused with Neos, giving him a total of 3000. And, to make things even better, he can attack an opponent twice each turn! And since Missy over here is still at 8000, I'll do the double-damage to her! Go, Neos Knight!"

Neos Knight threw its blade at Zhu, and like a boomerang on steroids, it spun at her and struck once, then circled the field and struck a second time before returning to its master.

**Zhu: 8000- 5000- 2000 LP**

"That ends my turn."

"Sweet move," Manjyome replied with half a smile, "but you should have targeted the smallest kid. He only has 4600 Life Points left."

Judai's mouth shrunk with embarrassment. "...Oh. I forgot about that guy. Well, it's not like we weren't gonna hit the girl; we'd have to get her sooner or later."

"Heh," chuckled young Pan with half of his original Life Points in tact. "You're gonna wish you had knocked me out when you had the chance. I have plenty more tricks up my sleeve..."

..

**II**

.

Far deep in the earth, just beneath what was left of Duel Island, a small patch of unholy essence was creeping upward. It was similar to the mythical river Styx, only this was more like a trickle or brook than a river. But it was enough for some underworld spirits to call Limbo.

Manjyome himself had been here not long ago, but even he could not guess just how much of Duel Island's underground was becoming more and more like a haven for lost souls. As the duel on the surface waged on, one lost soul in particular was growing restless...

.

_Scriiitch, scriiiiiitch, scriiiith..._

No matter how long or sharp her nails were, they could only scrape away tiny crumbs of the brimstone that locked her path toward the surface world. She had been doing this for some time now, ever since the duel had started; she sensed his presence, she knew his patterns well. Despite being locked away in a dark and simmering Limbo, she couldn't help herself. She _had_ to break free. She just _had_ to see him.

Her nails kept scraping away small clips of earth until at last, their ear-twitching sounds caught someone else's attention. While her back was turned to him, her master- the elegantly-robed Dark Ruler crept up behind her, a glass of red wine (or blood) sitting in his left hand.

"Still scratching at the surface, mine dear child?" he murmured.

Startled, the she-demon jumped and turned around to face him. Quickly she dropped to one knee in respect. "My lord," she purred. "Do you hear it? Do you hear the duel just above us?"

Hades was a patient soul, albeit a dark one. He spoke in a pleasant tone. "Yes... They have returned- the dragon master, and your beloved."

"It won't be long before those stupid humans uncover the first key."

"Patience, mine child. Hath you forgotten who hath recently paid the price for angering the divine spirits?"

"My lord?"

"I speak of the wretched beast who called himself Tragoedia. The Ka of a mortal, distorted by wrath and ruthlessness, sealed in a stone tablet and then shattered to pieces. 'Twas but just this last semester in Duel Academy when he tried to reclaim the mortal realm for himself. Do ye know what happened?"

The she-devil was silent.

"He was defeated, by the combined strengths of two duelists, and by the presence of one of the ancient spirits who sealed him away in the first place. Since his fall, we denizens of darkness hath taken up precautionary measures, keeping our presence secret, lest we ourselves evoke the wrath of the ancient ones. Ye would be wise to do the same, mine dearest child."

She bowed her head. "Yes, my lord."

The dark ruler walked away with a soft promise, "Everything happens in its own time. Soon. Soon, our time will come... And then, he will be all yours, my dear Yubel."

Her blue lips curled into a sharp-toothed smile. Her third eye, lodged vertically on her brow, dilated in delight.

_Soon... Soon, Judai._

..

**III**

.

**Shen: 7100 LP **

**Zhu: 2000 LP**

**Di: 8000 LP**

**Pan: 4600 LP**

.

**Manjyome: 5800 LP**

**Judai: 8000 LP**

.

It was now Shen's turn; "Draw!" he said. He looked over his hand and saw that it was covered in weak dragons, all of which he planned to discard to the Graveyard sooner or later. But another card, a Spell card, looked promising.

"I play the Spell card _Monster Reborn_, on one of the Five God Dragons you destroyed with Armed Dragon Level 10."

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"I attack your precious dragon now: Go, Five Headed Doom!"

Manjyome balled his fists and declared, "I chain my face-down card, _Level Down!_ This cancels out your attack, and switches out Armed Dragon 10 with Armed Dragon 7."

**Armed Dragon Level 7: 2800 ATK**

Shen grit his teeth, he knew he didn't have a card in his hand that can tackle such a beast. "You win for now, I end my turn."

.

"I draw," declared Zhu. Like her brother before her, her hand was cluttered with weak dragons. But her salvation would come in the form of another turquoise card.

"First, I summon my Decoy Dragon in Attack Mode."

**Decoy Dragon: 300 ATK**

"Next, I play the Spell card _Forced Transition_. This lets me switch control of my monster with someone else's, and I choose to switch my Decoy Dragon for my brother's Five God Dragon."

"Go ahead sis," grinned Shen, "he's all yours."

The twelve-foot tall behemoth moved over to the slot taken by the puny light blue baby dragon without a struggle. It looked hungry for more blood anyways.

"Now," declared Zhu, "I attack Manjyome's Armed Dragon, and this time the attack will go through!"

Manjyome reluctantly braced himself, as his treasured metallic dragon was burned to a crisp before his eyes.

**Manjyome: 3600 LP**

"I end my turn. Go, Di."

"With pleasure," replied the brother to her left. "I play the Spell Card _Pillage- Snatch Steal- _on my sister's dragon!"

"Oh no," cringed Manjyome. He knew this could only mean trouble.

As Five God Dragon moved once more down the field, it settled in front of Di.

"Time to feel the hurt, Manjyome! I attack your Blizzard Dragon!"

Sanda helplessly watched as the last of his defenses met with a grueling death. That was a whopping 3200-point damage to his Life Points.

**Manjyome: 400 LP**

.

"...Oh. Did I catch you at a bad time, little brother?"

The black-clad duelist recognized that voice all too well; both he and Judai looked up at the man that was now standing on a small mound just beyond the Long siblings. He narrowed his dark eyes at the smug man. "Shoji."

The grey-haired Manjyome's lips curled into an overconfident smile. "My, I knew you'd have a hard time with these goons, but you're already at less than 1000 Life Points? And here I thought you've improved since your days as an Osiris Red."

"First of all," snapped the younger Manjyome, "I was never an Osiris. Second of all, you've got a lot of nerve hiring a thug gang of duelists just to keep me off your back."

Unimpressed with his brother's remark, Shoji's attention turned to the boy dueling by Jun's side. "Oh, and look. You've got your own hired help... Wait a second, I know that kid! ...Oh... Oh-ho-ho, _this_ is rich! Not only do you need help getting past the Longs, but of all people to pair up with, you pick the one kid in Duel Academy that you've never defeated!"

As Shoji broke into a fit of laughter, Jun was at a loss for words. He cringed while his cheeks blushed slightly in shame.

Judai, on the other hand, gave Shoji a mean glare. "Hey, Mister Moneybags! Think you're all high and mighty now? Well wait till you see what we're cooking up for your little friends here!" His tummy rumbled loudly again; perhaps "cooking" wasn't the right word to use at that time.

Shoji crossed his arms. "Oh, I can't wait to see this."

"Remember our deal, brother: If we win this, you have to give up whatever it is you're trying to find on this island."

At first the older Manjyome made a sneer, but then he sighed. "Fine, Jun. I promise that if you win, you get the treasure."

Jun nodded, agreeing to the deal once more.

Shoji then turned his glance down at the smallest of the Longs. "Finish this, now."

.

"Draw," declared Pan.

**Zhu: 2000- 3000 LP**

"Oh yes, I almost forgot," interrupted Di. "My _Pillage_ card gives my stolen monster's original owner an additional 1000 Life Points during her standby phases."

"I hope you enjoyed owning that dragon while it lasted bro," smiled Pan to Di coyly. "First, I summon God Dragon Apocalypse in Attack Mode."

**God Dragon Apocalypse: 1000 ATK**

"Then I play my Spell card, _Enemy Controller_. I'll use its second effect: by offering my dragon as Tribute, I'll now take control of Five God Dragon."

With that, the burning Dark dragon disappeared, and swooping in to take its place was Five God Dragon, staring down at both opponents with its ten eyes.

Pan glared at both opposing fields; Manjyome was wide open, but his partner had an impressive warrior in front of him. Somehow, hitting the lesser known opponent seemed like the right choice. "I attack Neos Knight with Five God Dragon!"

With nothing on the field to protect his monster, Judai took a deep breath before feeling a gust of wind that sent his monster into oblivion.

**Judai: 8000- 6000 LP**

.

"What? NO!" Shoji stomped his foot, his fists shaking with rage at Pan. "You idiot! You were supposed to attack Jun and knock him out of the duel!"

"But," argued young Pan, "his partner's Life Points were still at max. I _had_ to attack him, or else he'd come back with his E-Hero."

The younger Manjyome grinned, "He has a point, bro. Judai here may not look like much, but he knows how to get out of a pinch."

"You know this from experience, right Jun?" teased the older Manjyome.

Jun could only growl softly at that insult.

.

"I end my turn," declared Pan, allowing his black-coated opponent to draw a new card.

"I play _Pot of Greed,_" said Jun, and drew two new cards. The first of which was the Trap Card "Call of the Haunted." Unfortunately, he didn't have many monsters in his Grave that could benefit from this, and those that could paled in comparison to the power of Five God Dragon. Perhaps the other Trap he just drew, "Ring of Destruction," would be of better use.

_But, _he thought to himself, _if I use this and trigger it, it'll knock me out of the game... Judai could survive, perhaps, but do I want to risk it? _He would think deeply before answering his own question: "No. Not just yet."

"Hmm?" hummed a curious Judai, who heard him.

"Nothing," denied Manjyome. "I summon my Masked Dragon in Defense Mode."

**Masked Dragon: 1100 DEF**

"Not much else you can do, eh little brother?"

"Shut up, Shoji!" snapped Jun. "You never once supported me in my duels, so just stay out of this!"

Judai looked at his friend and partner with worry. "Dude... you okay?"

Manjyome looked back at him with narrowed eyes. "If you have a plan, Judai, I suggest you execute it now... I set two cards and end my turn."

.

"Draw," declared Judai.

**Zhu: 4000 LP- 5000 LP**

Jun was irked by this sudden rebound that Zhu was having, but his partner was too busy looking over his cards to notice.

Judai looked at his newly-drawn turquoise card with such delight that he couldn't help but grin from ear to ear. "Hee-hee-hee! This is it, the card I was waiting for! …Well okay, not exactly _the_ card I was waiting for, but this is just as good too!"

"What is it?" asked a curious Manjyome.

Judai excitedly replied, "I play the Spell card, _The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh_!"

While the Long siblings looked puzzled, Judai's partner lit up with pleasant surprise. "You mean...?"

"That's right, bud! I'll now search my deck for either a Kuriboh or a Hane Kuriboh and add it to my hand. And there's only one card in my whole deck that fits the bill..." His heart was pounding as his fingers skimmed the edges of the cards in his deck until they stopped at the one orange-coded card he desired. He held it up for all to see: "My Hane Kuriboh, back with a vengeance and all thanks to my good buddy Motegi!"

"Oh," smiled Manjyome with a nod, "so_ that's_ what you meant by owing him one."

"Yep, and now I'm going to summon my Hane Kuriboh in Defense Mode."

**Hane Kuriboh: 200 DEF**

The long-awaited return of Judai's spirit friend was short-lived, for as soon as the fuzzy beast with cherub wings hit the field, it was welcomed by a fit of laughter coming from all of the Long siblings, plus Shoji.

"Laugh all you want," warned the brunette duelist. "But after I set these two cards face down, you'll see who gets the last laugh."

With two face-down cards sitting behind Winged Kuriboh, Judai ended his turn.

.

"Now Shen," commanded Shoji Manjyome, "finish this game once and for all."

"With pleasure, sir," grinned Shen as he drew his next card.

**Zhu: 5000- 6000 LP**

"Sorry sis," he frowned to Zhu, "but this is where the Life Point meal ticket ends."

With another tremble of his belly, Judai staggered and dropped to his knees. "Awww," he moaned, "Did you have to say 'meal ticket?' MOTEGI, WHERE ARE YOU WITH MY FOOD?" His desperate cry echoed through the ravaged woods, stunning his opponents.

"...uh... I play my own _Pillage_ on Pan's dragon, canceling out the first one," said a slightly stunned Shen.

The massive five-headed dragon jumped from one end of the playing field to the other, causing a mighty thud upon landing in front of his new master.

"And as if that weren't enough," he went on to say, "I play _Monster Reborn_ on one of the Five God Dragons that was destroyed earlier."

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Now that I have two of them," said a confident Shen, "this duel is pretty much over. My first dragon will attack that puny Masked Dragon over there."

"Oh no you don't, I..." Judai was about to spring his trap, when Manjyome reached out to block him with his hand.

"Not yet," said his partner, knowing full well of what his plan was. "Just let this one attack go through; my dragon's a searcher."

Judai bit his tongue while Jun's Masked Dragon was incinerated.

"As my dragon is destroyed," claimed Manjyome, "I can search my deck for another dragon with low Attack Points, and I choose to bring out my Exploder Dragon, in Defense Mode."

**Exploder Dragon: 0 DEF**

"Grr," sneered Shen. He knew that it would be pointless to attack a dragon that could wipe out his own, so he was forced to change tactics. "I'll have my Five God Dragon make mincemeat out of that stupid little Kuriboh."

The second five-headed beast opened its mouths, ready to impale Wish Dragon with its combined breaths.

"NOW!" screamed Sanda to his partner.

Judai complied and sprung into action. "I activate my set card, _Transcendant Wings! _I'll now offer up my Hane Kuriboh as tribute, to special summon his beefed up version- and YES I'm still craving beef!... Meet Hane Kuriboh Level 10!"

Suddenly, what started out as a small furry puffball was now encased in a golden ribcage, becoming the heart of a bigger creature: a golden-plated wyvern, with massive angelic wings.

**Hane Kuriboh Level 10: 300 ATK**

"I now activate my monster's effect," declared Judai. "As your monster attacks, I offer Winged Kuriboh Level 10 to the Grave, which lets me wipe out all opposing monsters!"

"What? No!" gasped Shen, just before his massive beasts were obliterated in a white light, as was Zhu's Decoy Dragon.

"And that's not all," added Judai while pointing fiercely at Shen. "With every monster destroyed by this effect, you lose Life Points equal to their Attack Points. So while Zhu only loses 300, _you_ my friend just lost it all!"

**Shen: 7100- 2100- 0 LP- KNOCKOUT**

**Zhu: 6000- 5700 LP**

"No!" gasped a distraught Shen. "I lost... I lost, with _two_ Five God Dragons...!"

.

"We're five for five!" calculated Manjyome correctly; five of the five-headed behemoths so far summoned, all sent to the grave consecutively.

"This calls for another five!" cheered his dueling partner.

So excited was he for this small victory, that for once Manjyome was glad to give his once hated rival a glorious high-five.

But Judai's cheers were suddenly halted; his face cringed as he felt an unusual movement in the ground.

"What's wrong?" asked a concerned Manjyome. "Your stomach bothering you again?"

"No," frowned a spooked Judai. "It wasn't my stomach this time, it was my feet. It felt like something just moved in the ground..."

The two of them would soon ignore it, but something was indeed scratching just beneath the ground Judai was standing on.

..

Yubel's claws were so close, and yet so far; being merely in spirit form, she couldn't reach the surface no matter how hard she tried. But her excitement in being so close to her beloved was too much for the she-devil to bear, despite all reason.

"Are you winning, my love?" she purred. "I'm sure you are... I wish I could be there to see your victory. I wish to be a part of it one day." She licked her blue lips lustfully. "Oh, the fun we will have once I'm free, Judai. Such wonderful, terrible fun we will have..."

.

What exactly did she mean by that?

And was she right in that Judai and Manjyome would win this duel, or were they doomed to fail?

Would Judai ever eat again?

These questions, and perhaps more, will be decided... next chapter.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

.

Next Chapter: **"Raising Hell, Part 3"**

Featured Duel: **Judai and Manjyome vs. The Long Family (concluded)**

..

Card Translations and Rulings:

**Elemental Hero Neos Knight**: His card ruling says that the opponent takes no battle damage, but I figured in Judai's world, that rule does not apply.

**Pillage** = Snatch Steal. I only mentioned the translation once, but I prefer the original Japanese name.

**Forced Transition **= Creature Swap

**God Dragon Apocalypse** = Divine Dragon Apocralyph

**Exploder Dragon** = Bomber Dragon. Both names are about the same, so if I switch the naming around, I feel it wouldn't really make much difference.

.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

-The story of Tragoedia mentioned in Act II is inspired by the main plot of the _"Yu-Gi-Oh GX"_ Manga, though some alterations would have to take place to make it canon. (For example, Edo's father would not have died in the Saiou arc ((Season 2)), but the manga arc ((Season 3's first quarter)) instead.) Further details will eventually come to pass through flashbacks.

-I strongly recommend the manga series, as its plot is in my opinion far superior to the anime's.

-Yubel's portrayal in this series will be slightly altered; she is not part of Judai's past as she was in the anime. (This has a lot to do with my own personal distaste for the canon seasons 3 and 4.) Further back story alterations for both Judai and Yubel will be made, just a fair warning.


	13. Raising Hell, Part 3

"**Yu-Gi-Oh! / Yu-Gi-Oh!: GX"**

"**TOURNAMENT OF KINGS"**

.

**Chapter Thirteen: "Raising Hell, Part III"**

.

**I**

.

Back at the site where Duel Academy once stood… **CLANG!**

The massive jackhammer at the dig site had suddenly stopped, following a very loud "Clang," as it slammed into something more solid than the earth it was chipping away at. Immediately, one of the hard-hatted workers there got on his cell phone and dialed his boss' number.

"Sir!" he called, "I think you might want to come see this…"

..

"Can't it wait?" responded Shoji on the other end of the phone call. "I'm in the middle of something here."

"_But sir,"_ said the worker, _"We've hit something! I think we've found it."_

"Ah… Excellent." A wicked smile curled on Shoji's lips. "Well, what're you waiting for? Pull it up immediately."

"_Yes, sir. Right away."_

"And don't wait up for me, this won't take much longer." He hung up his cell phone and resumed looking down on his younger brother while he struggled through the duel.

.

On the side of the Long Family:

-Tian has been knocked out.

-Shen has been knocked out.

-Zhu, **5700 **LP, open field.

-Di, **8000** LP, open field.

-Pan, **4600** LP, open field.

.

On the other side:

Manjyome, **400** Life Points, an Exploder Dragon in Defense mode and two face-down cards.

Judai, **6000** Life Points, one face down card.

.

"Hurry the hell up, gentlemen!" called out Shoji from atop his mound. "I have some business to attend to."

"No problem, boss. It's my turn!" Zhu drew her next card, and seemed to look rather disappointed in her hand. All she had were low-level dragons; any one of them could have chipped away at Judai, but she feared his face down card. On the other hand, she could have made a small sacrifice by attacking Manjyome's one and only form of defense, knowing that Exploder Dragon's effect would cause her monster to be destroyed.

"Okay," she decided. "This will cost me, but it'll probably be worth it… I summon God Dragon Ragnarok, in Attack Mode."

**God Dragon Ragnarok: 1500 ATK**

"I attack Manjyome's Exploder Dragon."

Her opponent narrowed his charcoal eyes. "You are aware of course, that once my monster is destroyed than yours is too?"

Zhu nodded, "It's a small price to pay; my brothers will finish you off next turn!"

As her lightning-coated dragon slammed into his, the bomb in the smaller dragon's clutches went off, causing both of them to shatter to pieces.

"I end my turn," said Zhu.

.

"Draw," said Di. His hand was also crowded with semi-powerful dragons, but the card he just pulled made him smile. "Finally! I play-"

"Not so fast!" yelled Manjyome while pressing a trigger button on his duel disk. "I play my first face-down card, _Call of the Haunted_. With this, I bring back my Exploder Dragon, in Attack Mode."

Exploder Dragon: **1000 ATK**

"Hmm. Nice move, but that dinky little dragon won't save you forever," warned a confident Di. "I play _Fusion_; by discarding five dragons from my hand, I'll summon Five God Dragon!"

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

Manjyome considered triggering his second trap, when his partner suddenly blurted out, "Oh no, you don't! I activate my other Trap Card, _Warning of God._ By paying 2000 of my Life Points, I negate the effect of _Fusion_, so no dragon for you!"

**Judai: 6000- 4000 LP**

Even Manjyome was surprised by this move. "Woah, Judai! I had no idea you had a card like that in your deck."

Judai rubbed his nose. "Yeah, well, I'm just full of surprises aren't I?"

Jun sighed; his face down "Ring of Destruction" could doom the both of them now.

Di cringed; now he had nothing to save himself. "I end my turn."

.

"Draw," said Pan. Looking over his hand of weak dragons, he saw one card that looked useful. "I play the Spell Card, _Upstart Goblin_. It lets me draw an additional card, but allows my opponents to gain 1000 Life Points."

**Manjyome: 1400 LP**

**Judai: 5000 LP**

.

"What?" gasped Shoji in horror. "Are you insane? You're supposed to deplete their Life Points, you idiot!"

"Don't worry Boss," assured the youngest of Longs, "I know what I'm doing… Now, I summon my Totem Dragon, in Attack Mode."

**Totem Dragon: 400 ATK**

"I know what you're thinking, Boss: 'What good will that puny thing do?' Well, his effect lets me count him as two Tributes for a high-level Dragon-type monster. I'll now play my Spell card, _Double Summon_, allowing me an extra Normal Summon this turn. I'll tribute my Totem Dragon for Dark Horus!"

**Dark Horus: 3000 ATK**

Manjyome gasped, "I know that card; it's the dark alternate version of Horus the Black Flame Dragon."

"Indeed it is," nodded young Pan. "You're lucky you have that Exploder Dragon on your field, Manjyome, so I'll just go ahead and attack your friend Judy."

"It's _Judai_!" screamed the frustrated brunette.

"Whatever. Say goodbye to your Life Points." The attack went through according to plan, with Manjyome cringing once more.

**Judai: 5000- 2000 LP**

.

"Sorry Judai," frowned his partner. "My face down card's not exactly helpful right now."

"Don't sweat it dude," said Judai in his typical optimistic tone. "I doubt he's got any more moves, and then it'll be our turn to kick butt."

"He's right," replied Pan. "I end my turn."

Shoji was now tapping his foot, becoming increasingly impatient. How was it, he wondered, that five people couldn't take down his brother, even when it seemed like he was on the ropes?

.

Manjyome drew his next card, a Spell card; he read it softly to himself, "Cemetery Change... Hmm..." _I remember this card, _he thought. _It was one of the cards Saoiu gave me back when I was part of his cult. I thought I'd gotten rid of it since then..._But then, another idea came to mind; he was devising a plan.

"Say, Judai?"

"Yeah."

"You wouldn't happen to have a card in your deck that could bounce certain cards from the Grave back to the deck, would you?"

"You mean like Pot of Avarice? Sure, it's in here. Haven't drawn it yet, though."

"Hmm… You don't mind it if I switch things up for us then, do you?"

"Uhh…" Not sure where his teammate was going with this, he shrugged. "Sure, I guess. Go for it."

Manjyome smiled, "Okay then. I play the Spell Card, _Cemetery Change_. This allows me to switch the cards in my Grave with ones from another player's, and I choose to switch with Judai."

Now Shoji was utterly shocked. He gasped, "Jun! Have you lost it, brother? You could have gained access to several Five God Dragons!"

Jun glared at him. "I don't_ need _Five God Dragon to win this duel, Nii-san. All I need is for my dueling partner to draw the right card and bring out the true lord of dark fire."

Again, Judai was confused- partly because he was still more focused on eating at this point. But the words "lord of dark fire" somehow became tattooed to his brain.

.

"Now," said Manjyome, "I play the card _The Shallow Grave_. Each of us can now Special Summon a monster in each of our Graves, in face-down Defense Position."

As the Long siblings complied, Judai took time to look through his new Grave-bound monsters. That's when he realized what Manjyome was getting at: Judai now had Horus the Black Flame Dragon, both Level 6 and Level 8, at his disposal. _Now I get it,_ he thought to himself. _Manjyome wants me to play these cards… But wait, if I special summon Horus now, I couldn't use its effect to bring out Level 8… Guess I'll just have to summon another dragon instead._

Judai settled on a dragon, Masked Dragon to be exact, according to Manjyome's "Shallow Grave's" effect.

"I know exactly what I'm bringing to my field," said Manjyome darkly as a face-down monster rose onto the field as though it came up from the earth. "I then end my turn."

.

"Draw," said Judai. "Here goes nothing… I play _Card Destruction_; now we all discard our hands to the Grave and draw the same number from our decks." Everyone complied, and Judai was lucky to draw another deck-thinning card. "I now play _Angel's Gift_, drawing three new cards, then sending two to the graveyard…" His next free draw gave him two Elemental Heroes, and another Spell card. "Ha! This is my lucky day," he smiled. "I now discard my heroes to _Angel's Gift's _effect, so I can play this: my _Pot of Avarice!_ Now, I'll select five monsters in my Grave, shuffle them back into the deck, and draw two new cards."

"Is this gonna take all day?" whined Zhu.

"Why?" smiled her opponent. "Are you in a hurry to lose? Anyway, here goes…" Among three other monsters, Judai grabbed the two Horus cards and shuffled them into his deck. He drew his next two cards carefully, hoping and praying he'd hit the jackpot.

"Manjyome?"

"Sanda."

"Thanks for the loan, bud! I sacrifice my face-down monster for this, Horus the Black Flame Dragon, Level 6!"

**Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 6: 2300 ATK**

Suddenly, Di and Pan began to chuckle, catching Judai's attention. He grinned slyly to them. "Hmph. You really think I'm stupid enough to not know that you probably brought back your Five God Dragons in Defense Mode? I'm aware that it's Defense Points far outshine Horus' Attack Points. But I'm not planning on attacking them." He pointed at the one opposing monster that was in plain sight. "My target is… Dark Horus!"

"HA!" laughed Pan out loud. "Go ahead and attack him, it won't do you any good."

"Oh, but it will," grinned Manjyome suddenly. He then glanced over at Judai and said, "You weren't the only one that got a new hand this turn; I play the Quick-Spell card, _Shrink!_ I now target Dark Horus, cutting its Attack Points in half!"

**Dark Horus: 3000- 1500 ATK**

"Oh no," gasped Pan softly.

"Oh yes!" cheered Judai. "Horus, destroy that carbon copy of yours: Dark Hellfire!"

The eagle-like dragon spread its white metallic wings and breathed a stream of black fire that caused the weakened dark dragon to melt away.

**Pan: 4600- 3800 LP**

"Now that's what I call excellent teamwork!" cheered Judai. "Now, before I end my turn, I'm gonna set this card face down. Now my Horus will level itself up, bringing out his highest form: Horus the Black Flame Dragon, Level 8!"

A wall of black fire engulfed the eagle-like monster, and expanded until an even bigger creature emerged, one that looked like Horus, except it not sported a pair of dragonic legs and a long, whip-like tail, while its top half remained eagle-like.

**Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 8: 3000 ATK**

.

Still at 5700 Life Points, Zhu drew her next card.

"Heh," she smirked. "A lot of good all that did you, Jerry."

"IT'S. JUDAI."

"_Judai!"_

The brunette's auburn eyes widened; he heard that feminine voice. It sounded like a whisper on the wind, and it sent shivers down his spine. "…Did… Anyone else hear that?" he whimpered.

"Quit your whining," hissed his female opponent. "I now play my Fusion spell card so that I can discard five dragons from my hand, and- Augh!"

Just as her Spell card hit the field, it spontaneously combusted into a ball of black flame.

"Whoopsie," smiled Judai coyly. "I probably should have warned you: Horus Level 8 has a special effect that lets me negate one Spell card each turn. So, yeah, you're attempts at summoning Five God Dragon now are royally screwed."

"Ugh," she cringed. "I summon Masked Dragon."

**Masked Dragon: 1900 ATK**

"I'll attack your Exploder Dragon, if only to get it out of the way. Soon you won't have any defenses left, Manjyome."

Just as Exploder Dragon went off on God Dragon Ragnarok, Sapphire Dragon would meet the same fate; both dragons exploded on impact and Manjyome took no battle damage thanks to Exploder Dragon's effect.

"With Masked Dragon destroyed in battle, I'll search my deck for a new monster. I choose Wish Dragon, in Attack Mode."

**Wish Dragon: 700 ATK**

"I'll then use its effect: by tributing it to the Grave, I'll summon two Dragon Egg Tokens to the field in Defense Mode."

**Dragon Eggs: 0 DEF x2**

"I end my turn."

.

"Draw!" said Di. "I summon Spirit Ryu."

**Spirit Ryu: 1000 ATK**

"Heh," smirked Di. "I should thank you for playing that Shallow Grave, Thunder-boy; it's been a big help. Now I'll flip-summon my face-down monster. Behold, my Five God Dragon!"

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

.

Quickly, Judai muttered to his partner, "Don't worry, I've got a perfect Trap set up for this guy."

"Save it," Sanda whispered back.

"But-"

"Trust me…"

.

"I'll have Spirit Ryu attack your face-down card," the blue-haired opponent declared. "And as he does, I'll activate his effect: As I discard my other two dragon cards in hand, his Attack Points rise by 1000 for each discarded monster."

**Spirit Ryu: 1000- 2000- 3000 ATK**

The small worm-like dragon with tiny wings exhaled a tornado that only got bigger as its Attack Points increased. Its gale forces picked up Manjyome's face-down monster into the air, twirling it around before it finally revealed itself as Winged Kuriboh. The poor little monsters' wings just weren't strong enough to fly against the wind, and he was literally blown away like dust.

Manjyome put on a fake frown of despair. "Oh no, he's destroyed my monster. What-ever shall I do?"

"Finish him now, Di!" shouted Shoji.

"With pleasure, Boss. Five God Dragon, attack him directly!"

Shoji watched intensely as the five-headed behemoth unleashed a wave of elemental fury at his brother; there was no way he was getting out of this attack. He was finally done for…

..

**II**

..

Meanwhile, back at the Duel Academy dig site, a long crane was lowered to pull up a small plate of rock from the earth. It was hoisted above and beyond the unearthed crater and lowered to a team of construction workers equipped with pick-axes and jack-hammers.

Carefully they chipped away at the rock until it split open, revealing a white box no bigger than a suitcase. It was dusted, polished, and ready to be displayed in front of the eldest of Manjyome, Chosaku.

He stared at it, looking pleased with his men's work. This had to be the treasure that Seto Kaiba tried to keep secret. He was sure of it.

..

Back to the duel:

Di: **8000 LP**- it was still his turn and was now attacking Manjyome, at **1400 LP**, with a Five God Dragon.

Di's Five God Dragon mercilessly fired a barrage of lightning, fire, water and darkness at its defenseless prey, a surprisingly calm Manjyome. On impact, a wave of smoke engulfed the area in which the duelist stood. For a moment, while it seemed like Sanda was knocked out of play, his older brother was ecstatic; _At last,_ he thought, _Jun is finished!_

Imagine his surprise when the smoke cleared and still standing there looking no worse for wares was Sanda, still holding on to the same amount of Life Points as before.

**Manjyome: 1400 LP**

"Wha… WHAT?" gasped a startled Di. "No way, that attacked should have finished you!"

Manjyome, relieved that Di was dumb enough to fall for his trick, took a moment to lavish in his small victory. "Ah yes," he said coyly. "That attack should have gone through, but it didn't. Would anyone here like to explain why it didn't? Anyone? Anyone at all? Come on, don't be shy."

Like a kid in school, Judai enthusiastically raised his hand. "Oo, oo! I do! Pick me, pick me!"

"Ah yes, you in the red shirt. Tell us what happened."

"Well you see, Winged Kuriboh's got an effect that activates when he's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. From there on in, all other attacks from the opponent are reduced to zero."

"That is correct. You get an 'A.'"

Judai's eyes widened and dilated with childish joy. "My first 'A...'"

The older Manjyome narrowed his eyes. "Are you two done?"

"_I'm _done," replied Di. "I have nothing else to throw at them, so I end my turn."

.

"Draw!" said Pan. "Don't sweat it, Di; I've got a face-down Five God Dragon too, and now I'll flip it face-up!"

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Now that it's my turn, he's completely defenseless! Five God Dragon, attack Manjyome!"

Sanda turned to his partner and said, "You may now spring your Trap."

Judai nodded. "Don't have to tell me twice. I chain _Mirror Force!_ Now the attack is not only depleted, but it destroys all opposing monsters!"

The three remaining Long siblings watched in utter shock and humiliation as once again their fields were wiped clean.

.

Shoji was now grasping his hair, carelessly ruining its once dapper appearance. "How?" he muttered in disbelief. "_How_ is this even _possible?_ Are these two really that good, or just that lucky?"

His younger brother heard him and couldn't help but smirk to himself, "Heh. I remember getting that frustrated with you back in my first year at the Academy."

"Yeah," nodded Judai. "Good times, man. Good times."

"'Course, I was a stubborn, egotistical hard-ass back then."

"…You're _still _a stubborn, egotistical hard-ass."

"Shuddup."

.

"I… I have no cards left to play," frowned a disheartened Di. "I end my turn."

"Then I draw," replied Manjyome. His next card was a Trap card, one he looked over carefully. "Ah," he mused softly. "I put this in here at the last minute, just in case I'd run into a tag duel like this… I set this card face down."

A second face-down card rested next to the first one in the Spell/Trap Zone.

"Next," he announced, "I play _Monster Reborn_ on Judai's monster, Elemental Hero Neos Knight."

**Elemental Hero Neos Knight: 3000 ATK**

"Finally, I summon Gray Wing, in Attack Mode."

**Gray Wing: 1300 ATK**

"Both of these monsters have something in common: they can both attack twice in one turn. But for Gray Wing, I have to first send a card in my hand to the Graveyard. I'll discard my Prairie Dragon, and I'll have both of these monsters take out the blue-haired boy. Sorry, kid; it's been real, but the show's over."

Both the heavily armored Neos and the crocodilian dragon dashed across the field to swipe away at Di's Life Points. It was only until now that his Life Points have even been touched, so to lose on such a grand scale as this would prove most humbling.

**Di: 8000- 5000- 2000- 700- 0- KNOCKOUT**

Of all the defeated Long siblings so far, Di became the first to drop to his knees upon defeat.

.

Without a loss of pace, Manjyome said to his partner, "Your move, Judai."

"Awesome. I draw!" After a few seconds of looking over his cards, the brunette suddenly wondered, "What's the score again?"

Sanda pointed at the opponents one at a time. "Pink-hair Lady's got 5700 Life Points, and the little one's only got 3800 left."

"Okay," nodded Judai. "For this turn I'll-"

"Hey, you guys!" called out a familiar voice. It was Motegi, happily marching back to the scene with his arms loaded with wrapped up food. "Sorry it took so long, but I brought back some food as promised."

"TIME OUT!" screamed Judai, as he sprung from the playing field, ready to pounce on the former Obelisk like a lion on a water buffalo.

As the former Osiris vacuumed up as much food as he could fit into his mouth, all eyes fell on him with both bewilderment and disgust- mostly disgust. All but Jun watched; he palmed his face in extreme embarrassment, muttering the words, "Honest to God, Judai, I can't take you anywhere…"

In a matter of minutes, Judai's hunger was at last satisfied. He then wiped his mouth clean of any sandwiches, vegetables or condiments that may have lingered before he finally got back up and walked back to his place in the makeshift arena. "…Okay, I'm back. Game on! …Wait. Where was I?"

While pinching the top part of his nose as though fighting a migraine, his partner softly pleaded, "Just hit somebody, please?"

"Oh, right! Horus, attack Pink-hair Lady: Black Hellfire!"

The half-eagle, half-dragon spewed a stream of black flames directly at Zhu; though it was just a hologram, she braced herself as though it would hurt.

**Zhu: 5700- 2700 LP**

Judai then looked over to his dueling partner and asked, "You've got a plan, right bud?"

"Well, it's sort of a backup plan, but at this point I think we're good."

"In that case, I end my turn."

.

Zhu drew her next card. I first play "_Pot of Greed_ to draw two new cards."

"I'll allow it," nodded the master of Horus.

Zhu's next cards were Spell cards, which would prove useful as she devised a new plot to take down her opponents in one fell swoop. "I play the Spell card _Thunderbolt_ to wipe out your monsters."

"That," Judai growled, "I will not allow. Horus, cancel it out!"

Horus' black fire burned the Spell card to ash, just as Zhu had planned. "You fools!" she grinned evilly. "I wanted you to use Horus' effect, so that I can play more Spell cards this turn."

Realizing his error, Judai gulped. "Uh-oh…"

"Now," said the female duelist, "I play the Spell card _Monster Reborn_, on my brother Pan's Five God Dragon."

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Then I play the Spell card _Dragon's Mirror_, sending five dragons in my graveyard out of play to summon my very own Five God Dragon."

**Five God Dragon: 5000 ATK**

"Finally," Zhu grinned, "I play the Spell card _Change of Heart_, on Horus the Black Flame Dragon!"

Horus' eyes went white as though it were under a spell, and fluttered over to Zhu's field to join the ranks in oversized dragons.

"With three god-like dragons at my command," bragged the pink-haired duelist, "I now dominate the field. It's all over now!"

Narrowing his eyes, Manjyome replied, "It is all over. I chain my Trap Card, _Ring of Destruction_! I'll use it on your second Five God Dragon."

A dark ring with a set of round bombs connected to it was placed around Zhu's Five God Dragon at its mid-section, binding its arms.

"You wouldn't dare!" yelled Pan. "Once that ring goes off, then we'll ALL be knocked out of the game!"

"Not necessarily," Sanda corrected him. "I now chain my other Trap Card, _Life Exchange!_ This card activates when my partner and I experience Life Point loss due to a card's effect. Now all of the damage Judai would have taken will be transferred to me."

"What?" gasped Judai. "But… dude! You're gonna…"

"It's my last ditch effort," Sanda explained in a calm tone. "_One_ of us has to win that treasure, Judai, and if I can't save myself than I can at least save you… Oh! And there's one other effect to Life Exchange: As my Life Points deplete, I can destroy the last Five God Dragon for good measure. So let's do this. Ring of Destruction, activate!"

**Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-KA-BOOM!**

.

**Manjyome: 1400- 0- KNOCKOUT**

**Zhu: 2700- 0- KNOCKOUT**

**Pan: 3800- 0- KNOCKOUT**

**Judai: 2000 LP- WINNER!**

.

While both Zhu and Pan fell to their knees, they were soon helped back to their feet by their other brothers: Tian, Shen, and Di. They patted their backs and softly congratulated them for a duel well fought, despite their defeat.

Judai watched them from afar, realizing that they weren't the punks he once thought they were. They were a family, proud of each-others' efforts, just as they should have been. He smiled.

Motegi also observed them near the former Osiris and smiled, "They seem like nice guys."

"Yeah," sighed Judai. But then his attention switched to someone else who was licking his own wounds.

.

As Manjyome brushed dust off his jacket's arm, Judai moved in closer to speak with him. "Manjyome…?"

"San-da."

"I just wanted to say how cool that was of you to let me win like that."

The black-clad duelist paused to search through his recovered deck, just to see how far he was from drawing the card he intended to find. "…I really didn't have much choice, Judai… See?" He pulled out a card that was almost at the very end of the deck's stack, and showed it to his surprised partner.

"My 'Ring of Defense' was close to the bottom. If I had it on hand, I could have saved myself that last turn. But I'm not upset about losing, if you can believe that; I'm just glad we got the job done and showed up those amateurs."

"Yeah," nodded his friend. "We did do just that."

.

Nearby, Shoji's phone rang again. Patiently he picked it up and talked into it. "Yes? …I see. Excellent work, gentlemen. Bring the chopper around."

As the older Manjyome began to walk away, Jun and Judai were quick to catch up with him, both determined to make sure their deal goes through.

"Nii-san!" called out Jun, with Judai right behind him. "Remember your deal: We win, we get the object you were digging up at the Academy site."

The tall blue-suited man turned around to face his little brother and his tag-along friend. "Aw, Jun-chan, did you forget what he really agreed on? The deal was that if _you_ won the duel, then you'd claim the treasure."

Both Jun and Judai gasped with gaping mouths, their eyes widened in shock. "But… We won as a team," argued Judai. "Didn't we?"

"I don't care if you win, kid. My brother here was supposed to stay in that duel to the very end. But instead, he threw the game; and now the deal is off. You may have won the game, but I've won the bet."

The younger Manjyome gnashed his teeth. "I always knew you were a cheat, Shoji, but this is low even for you!"

"You really need to just accept the way things are, little brother. You don't wear 'sore loser' well."

Judai was about to charge, when his friend held him back. "Let him go," whispered Jun. "He'll get his sooner or later."

A silver helicopter appeared in the sky, coming from where the dig site was. The door swung open, revealing Chosaku inside.

"Let's go, Shoji! We've got what we came for!" he shouted.

He threw down a long rope ladder for his brother to grab hold of. Shoji grabbed it and let the chopper lift him off the ground. He was keen on looking back at Jun and Judai with a smug smile and salute before disappearing into the chopper. The two boys shielded their faces from the whipping winds as they watched both the elder Manjyomes and their stolen treasure fly away.

..

**III**

.

Some time passed, and the group of duelists gathered at the food court set up by the construction workers. By now, even Sanda was starving and helped himself to a big plate of pizza and fries. The Long siblings had their fair share of fish foods and salads, but Judai was still scarfing down hamburgers and sub-sandwiches. In this one brief moment, there was peace between the rivals.

"So," lamented young Pan to his big brother Tian, "I guess this means we won't get into any dueling schools, huh?"

The blonde-haired leader frowned, "I'm pretty sure we just lost the Manjyome Group's sponsorship… But don't give up so soon, Pan. You guys deserve a chance to get into a good school."

Judai and company scooted over from the other side of the table and showed curiosity in the conversation. "So," mused Judai, "you guys really wanna get into North Academy, huh?"

"Well," explained Zhu, "Di and Pan are the real duelists in this family. The rest of us were just showing our support for them. As for Tian, Shen and myself, we already have jobs. I'm a hair stylist."

"I'm a fitness instructor," added Tian.

"And I'm aspiring to be a race car driver," confessed Shen.

Judai, Motegi and Manjyome exchanged glances of interest before the black-clad duelist replied with, "Well, to tell you guys the truth, we were pretty impressed with some of those moves back there. I totally wasn't expecting Dark Horus, or Spirit Ryu."

"Or so many five-headed dragons," smiled Judai sheepishly.

Young Pan turned to them and said, "But you guys were amazing. I can only wish I'd get as good as you two."

Jun couldn't help but feel touched by this. He smiled, "Tell you what, kiddo. You brush up your skills a bit, then when you're at the right age, I'll put in a good word for you and your brother at North Academy."

"Really? You'll sponsor us?" squealed Pan.

"I just might," said the youngest Manjyome.

Overcome with newfound hopes, Pan and Di gave each other a high-five.

"Thanks, Manjyome-san," smiled Pan, who then turned to the other duelist and added, "And thank you too for the awesome duel… Judai."

So excited to hear his name right that the brunette with the auburn eyes quicklythrusted his pinky finger into his right ear to clean it out. He then leaned in until his right ear was in the boy's face. "Say that again?"

"Judai."

"One more time, for clarification."

"Heh-heh… It's _Judai_."

"That's what I like to hear," grinned the red-shirted duelist, who shook the kid's hand firmly.

.

"There's just one question I have to ask you guys," Jun added while glancing over at Tian and Shen. "Since my brothers hired you to distract us, is there anything you might know about the so-called 'treasure' they were digging up back there?"

Shen paused to think about it, then replied with, "I remember overhearing them one time, something about finding the key to their success."

There was that word, the word that kept back into Judai's subconscious like a remembered nightmare: _key._

"Three keys!" he shouted, jumping to his feet and staring blankly at nothing as though overcome by a trance. "Three keys to the gate that must never be opened! _That's_ what my sister tried to warn me about!"

"What's that again?" blinked Zhu.

Judai leaned over to Manjyome and explained while frowning with extreme worry, "My dream this morning- it wasn't so much a dream as it was a vision. Fuu was speaking to me like a ghost; she said something about a gate that must never be opened, and there are three keys to it… It all makes sense to me now… That 'treasure' we were fighting for was one of the three keys."

Manjyome remained skeptical. "Are you sure?"

"Dude, I can feel it in my bones. Something freaky's going down, something we've gotta stop. You gotta be with me on this, Manjyome. Your brothers, whatever it is they're up to, they've got to be stopped."

It took him a minute for his former rival's words to sink in, but seeing the fear in Judai's eyes was proof enough that he was speaking the truth. Jun took a deep breath and exhaled. "Alright, Juda. I'm gonna trust your gut on this, only because I already know my brothers are slimy crooks. But if you're right, and they have this so-called 'key,' then we have to figure out where the other two are and get them before my brothers do."

"Right… So… where does that leave us then?"

"Square one, I'm afraid."

Judai face-faulted.

.

"Hey," chirped Tian. "Do you guys need a ride back to Japan? We were gonna catch the ship the construction workers are going on."

"That sounds like a good idea," nodded Manjyome.

He and his friends grabbed the last bit of food they could- Judai's arms just weren't long enough to grab the table, so he made do with the last sub-sandwiches.

Together, the duelists boarded the last ship that would ultimately take them home, and towards their next adventures.

..

Life was quiet once more for the Yuki family, once Judai and Jun came back home. They both had lied to the family about spending that weekend at a friend's house to avoid worry from Judai's parents, and seeing the welcome they received upon coming home proved that their plan worked. All seemed right in the world.

..

A week had gone by. All was calm in the city of Domino, especially when night fell on one particular Saturday evening.

.

It took them several days to do so, but the elder Manjyome brothers finally managed to pry open their acquired white box from the dig site. They placed it in their own office in their recently repaired mansion. At first they were hesitant; they feared that this whole venture would have been for nothing. But curiosity got the better of them eventually; Chosaku opened the lid.

Both brothers were spellbound by the innards of the box: placed in its center, blanketed by a cloth of red velvet, was one of the rarest Duel Monster cards in existence, and the only copy of its kind.

The God of Obelisk.

..

That same night, Seto Kaiba was typing away at his computer in his office, when a sudden rap at his door caught his attention. "Enter," he said.

The door gently swung open; Kaiba paid no interest in whom it was that was now walking toward his desk. But once the man made his presence known by his side, he looked up and blinked with surprise. "Yugi."

The King of Games gave him a respectful nod. "Hello, Seto."

Kaiba leaned back in his desk, no longer interested in whatever he was typing. "I suppose this is about the plans we've discussed?"

"It is."

"And have you finally made your decision?"

"I have."

Kaiba noticed the weariness in Yugi's eyes. He could already tell what his decision was going to be.

..

It was on that same Saturday evening that Jun had control of the television in the family room, while most of the Yuki family was out with their friends or relatives. In a casual garb of a white tee shirt and black jean pants, he flipped through the channels to see if anything would spark his interest. Most of the channels had commercials, so it was unclear if any of them had something special to offer.

But eventually, he stopped on one channel and listened in. What he heard would come as such a shock that it compelled him to shout out, "Judai! Get in here, you've got to see this!"

Judai ran in, wearing a casual clue tee shirt with white lining like a sports jersey, and light tan pants. He jumped onto the couch next to Jun on his right, while Manjyome turned up the volume.

"Hey," peeped Judai. "Is that Kaiba-san on screen?"

"It is."

"_We are coming to you live at Kaiba Corp.'s main tower,"_ said the female news reporter. _"Tonight, Kaiba Seto, head of Kaiba Corp., is going to announce a special event that will take place within a month or so. Stay tuned while Mister Kaiba prepares his speech…"_

..

In a small auditorium within his main building, Kaiba had gathered as many news reporters as he could at the last possible minute. He stood onstage with a podium like a president about to declare war on a country. The reporters waited on baited breath while Kaiba cleared his throat and prepared himself for what he was about to say:

"Good evening, everyone. As you know, I am Kaiba Seto, head of Kaiba Corp. and long-time collaborator of Industrial Illusions. In the past few weeks, I have been holding secret meetings with the likes of Pegasus J. Crawford, as well as the King of Games himself, Moto Yugi…"

..

Two of Judai's younger siblings gathered at the television, listening in on the sudden new report. All eyes were glued to the talking box.

"_There have been rumors going around if I was going to set up a tournament for the summer, as has become somewhat of a tradition in recent years. I am here to tell you that those rumors are true. But this will not be just any tournament, my friends; this will be the crème de le crème of tournaments. I'm dubbing it, 'The Tournament of Kings.'"_

..

Seto continued his speech uninterrupted: "The last few years we have seen rising duelists from all over the world, and each year one player comes closer and closer to rivaling that of Moto Yugi. I believe, as does Yugi, that the time will soon come when someone will finally defeat him once and for all in a duel of the century. That is part of the reasoning behind this new duel.

"There are some of you who may wonder if this duel comes at an inappropriate time, in reference to the recent tragedy of Duel Academy Island. My prayers and respects go out to those families who've lost a loved one in that tragedy, but this tournament is also meant to be held in their honor as well. We will hold a special memorial ceremony one day prior to this new duel."

..

"_Mister Kaiba, Mister Kaiba!"_ shouted some reporters.

"_Please,"_ he responded, _"No questions until after I am finished."_

Judai held his chin in his hand while his elbow placed itself on his knee.

..

"There is one more reason why we are holding this tournament. I will now stand aside and let someone else speak from here on in. Ladies and gentlemen, Mister Moto Yugi."

Cameras flashed as Yugi walked across the stage and toward the podium. The reporters were cheering somewhat, but as Yugi settled in front of the microphone, all fell silent.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. And thank you, Kaiba, for this opportunity to speak to everyone."

Kaiba nodded to his former rival.

Yugi cleared his throat before announcing, "You're all probably wondering why I'm here. Well, I'm here because I have a very important announcement to make. You see, after all these years of being King of Games, I feel as though I have fulfilled all of my childhood dreams and then some. But there comes a point in a man's life when he has to step back and look back at what he's done in order to see where he's going.

"What I'm getting at is this: recently, I've been having less and less fun being the King of Games. Playing Duel Monsters is supposed to be fun, and for me it just isn't fun anymore. It's not that I don't appreciate the fans or the sponsors; it's just that having to show up in a dueling arena to prove myself time and time again is feeling like a chore. It's just not the same as it was when I first started out… I'm just…. tired. I'm worn out…"

..

"_I've made a special offer with Kaiba Seto this weekend. I will be participating in the Tournament of Kings as a final challenge to the duelist that can defeat all other competitors. But know this, ladies and gentlemen: this will be my final game. Once this tournament is over, win or lose, I will be officially retiring my title as King of Games."_

Gasps took over the room; even Judai's younger siblings were stunned even though they didn't fully understand the weight of this announcement.

Judai and Jun looked at each other, each with their mouths gaped open. Was this really happening?

..

"I hope you all understand where it is I'm coming from," said Yugi with a hint of sadness in his red-violet eyes. "I will not only be taking part in the tournament though, I'll also be a supervisor, a judge during the semi-finals and finals, and I will of course be there to crown the duelist whom I believe is most worthy to take my place.

"…I don't know what else to say, except that it's been such an honor to be part of your lives. I do hope that my decision will benefit the future of Duel Monsters… Thank you."

A barrage of camera flashes and reporters demanding attention rocked Yugi to the core; Seto gently pushed him aside so that he could take over and let his former rival pause to breathe.

..

"_You heard it here first, ladies and gentlemen," said Kaiba. "In the next coming months, we will be going forward with our plan to turn the center of Domino City into the biggest dueling arena the world has ever seen. All age groups, nationalities and such will be given their chance to sign in for their participation. So get ready, duelists: The Tournament of Kings will soon be on."_

Both Judai and Jun took deep breaths.

"Woah…" muttered Judai.

"Yeah… woah…" replied a winded Manjyome.

Their whole world just changed in those few short seconds. From here on in, they would no longer be ordinary duelists. They would become contenders for the ultimate crown.

..

**TO BE CONTINUED**

..

Card Translations/Rulings:

**God Dragon Ragnarok** = Divine Dragon Ragnarok

**Totem Dragon:** In the TCG, this card counts as a Tuner. But Tuners don't exist in the YGO/GX world, nor do Synchro Monsters, so his initial effect and the fact that it's a Dragon type are the only things that come into factor here.

**Spirit Ryu:** I've used the original TCG ruling of this card before it was watered down; before you could discard any number of dragons, nowadays you can only discard one. This effect was also seen in the anime once.

**Wish Dragon/Egg Tokens:** A card and effect exclusive to the "GX" Manga. The effect ruling follows the Manga.

**Prairie Dragon:** A "GX" Manga exclusive, and truly is in Manjyome's all-dragon deck.

**Cemetery Change** and **Life Exchange**: Two anime-exclusive cards, both used in the "GX" anime. Their card rulings here follow those from the anime.

**God of Obelisk** = Obelisk the Tormentor


End file.
